Tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em, Tell 'em. Tell 'em what you told 'em...

...Just like your high school thesis-Introduction, Body and Summary;
the basics of training and training issues. Great training is great teaching which means a walking and talking lesson plan. You got to explain whats you going to train, train it and then review what you have trained.
It may seem simple in concept but it just doesn't happen even with the best of 'trainers'. I believe throughly that a high degree of real world experience coupled with leadership teaching skills will make the successful
trainer. He/she will train the skills, monitor the training, evaluate the training, get feedback, counsel and make decisions and adjust whatever is needed to obtain the strategic goal at hand. It means being on top of the training at all times. It also means one must be a master of what is being trained in order to successfully train it. It means getting the skills, learning the skills and doing whatever it takes to be the one with the answers.

Follow up! Follow up! Follow up! A key part of training that so often is neglected. We may give out the task, observe it being done and move on and never go back to see that it was done successfully. By following up, I mean be there,physically and mentally, be there to see and give praise and
constructive critique on the training tasks. Be involved- it shows that you care, that you are a active participant with the trainee. It doesn't mean you are doing the job for them. It means you are there to give instruction, guidance, answer question, and build best practices. Be there.

Engage your people. I learned this from a mild manner, well experienced GM at a restaurant. He often went to company training seminars and came back toshare what he had learned with his unit managers. I liked this. Share the wealth. Information is to be shared. The only way to keep it is to give it away. Think about that one. He said "engage your employees!"-
get in there with them, ask the questions, answer the questions, demostrate the skills, offer resources to make them successful, create a job friendly place.

Define your Destiny. This is kind of something I put together from all my training and great past mentors. Take what you know and set the standard=
go forth and define your mission within the scope of the company's higher mission. Be inovative, take iniative, be original, think and rethink, make it happen.

If you're in it for a job-Get the hell out. If you're there because its a job and a paycheck-get out, go somewhere else. There are plenty of jobs out there that are happy with people who just want to 'do their job' and
get a check. If this is you, find a job that really doesn't ask nothing of you except to drag your ass into work and do something and go home. In the kitchen, at least in my kitchens, you have got to want to make a difference.
It shows real fast if you are just a clock puncher and nothing else. I love to surround myself with people who are in it for a higher standard. People who make me think, keep me competitive, take it to the next level, want to make a difference and who give a hoot about their work. I realize everyone is not the same and there are levels of ability in everyone. I expect the best someone can do and nothing more. I will take a hard working sincere heart over a slacker any day. I have seen better work in an inexperienced, lower end worker than a experienced, highly skilled, higher level worker. It was the heart, dedication, failures and successful progression of the eagar inexperienced worker to excell versus the smooth sailing 'don't rock the boat' experienced worker who could deliver more but
won't. I look for that internal incentive. It is not based on fat salaries, bonuses, rewards, ect. It is one's one personal satisfaction from kicking ass at work-doing a great job. I really feel satisfied.

"Do you love cooking?" This was a question asked to me by a great Chef, one of my early mentors at CSULB faculty dining when I was a lead line cook. He let me do all the daily specials, use what I wanted to use and pretty much gave me free rein of the place. I accepted it a gift of confidence and a skills building opportunity. One day, he called me into the office and sat down with me. We went over some recipe ideas, cookbooks, magazines and stuff. I was really excited. He looked at me and asked me "Do you love cooking?" I was a little shocked because his tone was almost depressing and he didn't have that light in his eye like you get when you really enjoy somethi;ng. I said that I did, I did love cooking.
He said that he really doesn't like it, that he has been doing it for many years. He was probably in his late 50's or so. I was about 26. So after I left his office, I thought that well he was way older and worked so long in his field that maybe he just is in it for the job paycheck. I really couldn't fault him. He paid his dues. I began to think and hoped that I would never get that way, that I would forever love what I do. I would love my work, live it, breathe it, and walk it like I talk it. Up to that point I had only 5 years in the kitchen and so I thought hard about all of this. Now, with 25 years in the field, with just about 20 of them as management-Exec Chef/Sous/Chef/Dietary Supervisor/Kitchen Manager/Manager/General Manager- I can thank God that I still love what I do. I enjoy going to work. I do keep a balance nowadays of work and life. In the past, I was a workaholic-not very good thing with a family. Now, I deliver for work, I am there for all at any time, but I also manage my personal life as well. I can now work hard and see my kids grow up healthy all at the same time. So I guess you can give work your all and still enjoy life in the real world. That would be my message to all the 'punch a clock and get a paycheck' type of people out there. Live life to the fullest during work and after work.