By johana gonzalez
Harmony School of Innovation - Fort Worth
Being a DECA chapter officer for the past three years has been an unforgettable experience, teaching me valuable lessons in organization, communication, and innovation through my many positions. From my role as Historian to now serving as Co-President, these skills have helped me lead my chapter and will benefit me in all areas of life, as they are always applicable and will last forever. My advice to anyone considering leadership positions is to embrace these three areas—they’ll help you grow, succeed, and make a lasting impact.
Organization: Keeping Everything on Track
As a chapter officer, organization became my best friend. Between schoolwork, DECA duties, and extracurricular activities, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But the key to success lies in staying organized. One tool that helped me was using a shared digital calendar to keep track of meetings, deadlines, and events. It allowed me to plan and avoid last-minute stress. For example, organization was crucial when we hosted VEX competitions to raise money. I had to coordinate volunteers for every area, from setting up the event space to helping with clean-up and ensuring that everything ran smoothly. With proper planning and structure, it would have been smooth. Having a solid plan in place helped keep things on track and made the entire event a success.
Communication: Building Stronger Connections
Being an officer taught me that communication is at the heart of leadership. Whether I was reaching out to members about upcoming events or working with other officers, clear and open communication made all the difference. I’ve learned the importance of adjusting your communication style depending on your audience. For example, I keep messages concise and to the point when communicating with our advisors but more detailed when updating chapter members. We also used tools like GroupMe and Remind to ensure everyone stayed informed, especially when plans changed at the last minute. Additionally, we use Instagram as a way to share important information, knowing that members are more likely to scroll through Instagram than check Remind or GroupMe. By consistently sharing updates across different platforms, we created trust between everyone, ensuring that members felt informed and connected. These communication strategies have strengthened our chapter and helped us work together more effectively as a chapter.
Innovation: Creating New Opportunities
The most exciting part of being a chapter officer is the opportunity to innovate. Leadership isn’t just about following tradition. It’s about bringing fresh ideas to the table. I quickly realized that as an officer, I had the power to help shape the future of our chapter. One example of innovation was introducing new fundraising methods to boost our chapter’s budget. Rather than sticking to traditional methods, we experimented with virtual fundraising events and collaborations with local businesses, which turned out to be a hit. We also focused on implementing fun and engaging activities for our chapter, helping to create a stronger sense of community among our members and officers. This helped us reach our goals fun and engagingly while creating a memorable and meaningful experience for everyone involved.
Conclusion
Reflecting on my time as a DECA chapter officer, I’m grateful for the invaluable lessons I’ve learned in organization, communication, and innovation. These skills have not only shaped my leadership style but have also strengthened the bonds within our chapter. My experience has taught me that leadership is a journey of continuous growth, and I hope to inspire others to take on leadership roles. Embrace the challenges and opportunities that come your way; the skills you develop will serve you well in all aspects of life and enrich both you and your community.