[Interview] Nadine Willems-Antersijn Believes There Is One Trait All Hospitality Trainers Need To Have

Member Spotlight on Success: Nadine Willems-Antersijn

We couldn't wait to talk with Nadine about being prepared, and the one piece of advice she believes all hospitality trainers need. Nadine recently completed CHART's Hospitality Training Competencies Certificate Program. Well earned!

Interview: Nadine Willems-Antersijn, Corporate Trainer, Gianni's Group

What is your favorite training hack?
As long as you care for your participants and the success of your training, you will always be nervous, at least for the first few seconds of your presentation. Just make sure you are always prepared.

What is your most cringe-worthy training moment/story?
Going to a training unprepared, and being so self-confident that you think you can ‘wing it.’

When did you first encounter CHART?
When I started working at Gianni’s, I got the assignment to start looking for conferences I would be able to attend, as to become better, upgrade, and always be one step ahead. My boss found CHART and Colorado Springs in 2017 was my first conference.

What is your favorite part about being a hospitality trainer?
Being a hospitality trainer is so rewarding, you meet awesome people and not one training is the same. My background is not hospitality, but I’ve learned so much that I feel I’ve been working my whole life in the hospitality business!

What is the one skill you use regularly that you learned through the Hospitality Training Competencies program?
I’ve learned so much, starting from doing self-evaluations, but also being open-minded for feedback from your participants.

What would you have missed if you had never known CHART?
An amazing network in the US (I'm in Aruba), new friends, and a training library almost as big as Google!

What advice do you have for a new trainer?
My advice for any trainer is that your focus MUST be that you want your participants to excel, grow, and become a better version of themselves. All in all, you MUST care for them. If you don’t, please don’t be a trainer. Be humble, they are working on the floor: listen to them, REALLY listen to them. And help them become better at what they are already doing. It’s very easy to just teach by the book, but you are not the one dealing with difficult customers, changes to the menu (again), short staff situations, etc.

What is your favorite piece of CHART swag?
My CHART wine glass! Without a doubt…I need more swag though.