From Jack in the Box to Loud Learning: A 30-Year Journey That’s Just Getting Started

The Accidental Launchpad: From District Dreams to Training Teams

They say some of the best things in life happen by accident. Like discovering peanut butter and chocolate go together. Or realizing your partner deserved the promotion you were going for. That one stings, until you realize it was the shove you needed to step into your calling.
For me, it was Carla getting promoted instead of me. That moment nudged me out of operations and into training at Jack in the Box. It wasn't the plan, but it was the pivot. The one that changed everything.

A CHART-er Course Correction

Vancouver, BC. 1996 My first Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers (CHART) conference. I walked in thinking I was in a side gig and walked out knowing I had found my people. CHART didn’t just inspire me. It gave me purpose, playbooks, peers, and a platform.

That single event cemented my belief that learning is not just a support function. It is a business driver, a culture shaper, and, frankly, a calling.

Enter: Loud Learning

Let’s talk about a new trend that actually deserves the buzz: Loud Learning. Coined and evangelized by communication pros like Cayla Dengate at LinkedIn, Loud Learning flips the script on passive training. It is not about checking boxes. It is about broadcasting your growth. Talking about it. Owning it. Modeling it. Normalizing it.

Loud Learning is not a fad. It is a workplace culture shift. One that says, “If I’m learning, you can too.”

Why Loud Learning Matters (and Why It Is Built for CHART)

Culture shifts do not happen quietly. When we learn in silence, we miss the chance to inspire others. Loud Learning makes growth contagious.

Mentoring is no longer a formal process. Loud learners become magnets for curiosity and questions. Every "I just learned this" is an invitation to teach.

Leaders need volume, not silence. Employees do not just watch what you say. They watch what you prioritize. Talking about your own learning sends the message that growth is expected, supported, and shared.

How CHART Can Amplify Loud Learning

This is what CHART trainers, educators, and developers already do instinctively. But now we have a name for it. A frame. A movement.

Here’s how CHART members can lead the way:

1. Start meetings with “What I learned this week.”
2. Coach leaders to talk about learning in real time, especially after a tough lesson.
3. Create digital learning brag boards, in the office or online.
4. Celebrate internal workshop grads publicly and proudly.
5. Host team skill-sharing sessions with “Teach us something you just learned.”
6. Use DiSC, and other tools, and everything else loudly. Let the work show.

Closing Thoughts: 30 Years Later, I’m Just Getting Started

The learning and development world has evolved since 1996, but the fundamentals remain. The tools are better. The platforms are louder. And the need for shared growth has never been more urgent.

What I learned that year in Vancouver is still true today.

“When you help people grow out loud, you do more than train them. You transform them.”