2026 CDCA Eastern Defense Summit

Leadership with Soft Skills – Defining Your Style

Define your leadership style through assertiveness, empathy, and emotional intelligence.
Learn practical soft skills for leading yourself and your teams effectively.

About the Instructor

Dr. Lance Decker is President of Decklam Technologies, LLC, in Summerville, South Carolina. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Rhode Island, Texas A&M University, and ECPI University–Charleston. In addition, he teaches PMP Exam Preparation classes.

Dr. Decker holds the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential and is a certified SAFe Agilist. Previously, he served as a researcher with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, where his work focused on vehicle stability.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Tyler and his master’s degree and Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. Dr. Decker has been married to the love of his life for more than 44 years and has three children and three grandchildren.

Course Overview

Course Length: 8 hours

Agenda

1. Introduction
2. Women in Defense and Project Management
3. Assertiveness and Empathy
4. Emotional Intelligence
5. Team Emotional Intelligence
6. Leading with Your Own Style
7. Leading Teams
8. Wrap-Up