Training Articles

I have had a motto throughout my career. When asked to do something new: if it makes me nervous, just say yes. So when asked, I agreed to co-facilitate a competency workshop at the Louisville conference, even though I felt unsure and a little intimidated. I was paired with CHART legend Donna Herbel, who surprised me with her gentle but effective coaching, allowing me to stretch my facilitation skills and feel more confident in leading this session. I learned so much from this experience and I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and say yes to something that makes you nervous!

Let's be honest–nobody needs another highlight reel. Real leadership isn't about being perfectly polished and having all the answers, it's about all the sometimes messy, imperfect, behind-the-scenes work that makes things come together in the end. The secret is that nobody really has it all figured out–even if they seem like they do. By being honest and vulnerable, sharing our own stumbles, pivots, and doubts, we can dispense with the "Success Theater" and start building trust and connection with our teams. When the stress of appearing perfect loosens its grip allowing you to reveal your authentic self, truly great leadership can happen.

I attended a breakout session at the CHART Louisville conference called "Building Better Training on a Budget," led by Corban Nichols, about how to create engaging training materials without spending a lot of money. But as I listened, I realized that the strategies could be applied more widely to company communication as a whole. The examples made it clear that thoughtful, intentional communication strategies can turn ineffective company announcements – often ignored by employees – into meaningful exchanges that foster a deeper connection to the workplace. Here are 7 ways to incorporate those principles into your own company's messaging practices.

Recently, I came across the concept of Lemonading, which is about taking unexpected obstacles and intentionally turning them into something valuable. Unlike mere optimism, Lemonading is an active process which requires creativity, adaptability, and resourcefulness. Based on insights from CHART x Opus' freshly released Hospitality Training 360 Report, let's explore how Lemonading can help us make the most of what we have and transform obstacles into opportunities for growth.

Every leader will eventually encounter a team member who is resistant to feedback and just doesn't seem to want to follow and become part of the team. Reluctant team members can present major challenges to achieving your organization's goals, disrupt the cohesiveness and culture of your team, and make you question your effectiveness as a leader. Here are my tips for inspiring reluctant followers to get on board.

As a training professional in a rapidly growing restaurant group, I'm always searching for ways to make leadership concepts connect deeply with our teams. What started as a creative experiment with AI evolved into something that transformed how our leaders see themselves and support each other. So what happens when you combine AI-generated superheroes with the CliftonStrengths of more than a dozen ops leaders? You get The League of Extraordinary Operators—a unique approach to celebrating the individuals making it happen!

Discover how the big reveal of my CliftonStrengths, AI, and Superheroes creative experiment turned into a celebration of our ops leaders! What started as experimenting with AI tools about 18-months ago evolved into something I never anticipated—a collaborative relationship that transformed how I approach creative and routine work projects. Having AI as a co-worker has helped me find flow, delivering work that stands out, truly vibes with people, and brings something unconventional to what's often a very conventional role.

I recently spent 9 long months battling an electrical problem that left me with very limited power in my condo. As hard as it was to live without heat or hot water and with only 3 working outlets, the experience taught me that there's wisdom to be found in difficult times – lessons about patience, creativity, and finding ways forward when the usual solutions aren't available. Here are five insights from my experience, along with some best practices for each, that might help hospitality professionals escape the darkness when they face challenging situations.

As leaders, we must create the opportunity and foundation for our team to excel, produce, and create. With the right foundation, great teamwork will happen. Joel Zeff uses improvisation games in his keynotes to illustrate creating the foundation and then letting the audience volunteers - the ad hoc team - make choices that lead to success. Here are the 5 TA DA tenets of teamwork from Joel's new book, "Make the Right Choice: Lead with Passion, Elevate Your Team, and Unleash the Fun at Work.”

At the recent Workforce Management in Fast Casual and QSR Summit, this panel of CHART training pros dove into how training can drive operational results. Specifically, how to design training that directly impacts key performance indicators and supports business goals. This lively Q&A discussed how to partner with operations to improve retention, enhance engagement, and reduce turnover.

Agility is about the ability to change swiftly in response to evolving needs. This methodology emphasizes iterative progress, continuous feedback, and cross-functional collaboration. For hospitality, this means designing training programs that are flexible, responsive, and aligned with the strategic goals of the organization. Here are the foundational Agile principles, along with how you can apply them to your learning programs.

Recently, I heard someone describe AI as “the calculator for words,” and that resonated deeply. Just as a calculator simplifies complex math or a GPS streamlines navigation, AI takes the swirling chaos of my thoughts and turns them into consumable, actionable content. AI is a tool that accelerates creativity and productivity in ways that were previously unimaginable. Here are some of the ways that I leverage AI every day, along with my recommended action steps for hospitality trainers.