Member Blog

In just about 8 minutes, I'll share how big data is transforming the hospitality industry. I'll talk about what big data is, where it comes from, how we communicate electronically, and how information about each of us is captured and tracked. More importantly, what are the implications for hospitality trainers in how you train better and serve guests better.

In a quick 7 minutes, I'll take you down the yellow brick road of professional development. In my CHART Talks video clip from the recent Miami Conference, I'll share the stories of two women: a mentor and mentee and their journey to reach the best seat in the house.

Paul Meshanko of Legacy Business Cultures got rave reviews for his session on the Respect Effect at the recent CHART Miami Conference. Now, he has summarized this relevant information in an article:

Roz Usheroff was a hit at CHART's recent Miami conference. Here is a great article from Roz about the worst mistakes leaders make, and how to learn from them to be the kind of leader people want to follow...While it may seem counterintuitive, if you want to be a leader others are willing to follow, knowing what not to do turns out to be just as important as knowing what to do.

I’ve been lucky enough to build e-learning courses since 1992, and over the past 12 years, DiscoverLink has had the privilege to work with more than 85 restaurant chains on their e-learning initiatives. We’re asked to review and evaluate existing training programs with a goal of converting them to an online program that is paperless and cost-effective. After reviewing dozens of legacy programs, we’ve seen it all – from good, effective programs to programs that were created 20 years ago and have more patches than I-65 in the winter. But one thing we’ve continued to prove, time and time again, is that when it comes to e-learning, “less is more.”

Risk management. It's not a bad word, so why don’t we talk about it more in terms of training? In most hospitality industry conversations, the focus typically is on skill training – how do I train so employees will deliver top notch food and service execution which brings our guests through the front doors again and again.

Every once and a while, even the most sheltered of hospitality trainers must leave the cloistered confines of the corporate office and work out in the rough and tumble world of operations. Whether it’s to roll out a new program, work with an underperforming team, or open a new location, most of us make our way out to company hotels and restaurants at least occasionally to teach new skills and improve productivity.

It was an accident, I swear. I didn’t mean, at my very first CHART conference, to volunteer presenting a breakout session. My shameful confession is that I was simply trying to get a free lunch.

Recently, after mentioning our upcoming CHART conference in Miami, a friend of mine surprised me with a question. “Why do you still attend those CHART conferences?” he asked.

The idea of getting a professional certification terrified me initially. What if I don't pass? How embarrassing! Will that mean I'm not good enough for my job? Last spring I reached out to a couple of mentors (those whom already held the title, CHT), and was comforted in knowing the confidence they had in the program. At the beginning of the process, I thought having the three letters behind my name would confirm all of my hard work despite not having a degree in hospitality. I could finally hold a title that gave me some street credibility in the training world.

As hospitality trainers, we are often called upon to work with new employees in our company’s restaurant and hotels. It becomes our responsibility to take these folks from “newbie” status and transform them into productive staffers who can make strong connections with our guests and positively contribute to the bottom line of the organization.

The National Restaurant Association show will be held in Chicago from May 18-21 this year, and as usual, tens of thousands of people will show up hoping to learn what the future holds for the hospitality industry. The booths in McCormick Place will be buzzing with conversations between the many different vendors and all kinds of restaurant personnel: owners, executives, chefs, managers, employees, and hopefully, a lot of trainers as well.