I’ve spent years building training programs across ships and island resorts, and here’s the truth I wish someone had told me earlier: The moments that shape a professional never arrive in the format your SOP prepared you for. They show up unannounced. They bend the rules. And they demand the one skill no manual can teach—judgment. At Niyama, a guest at Fahrenheit Bar once asked a new associate for something completely off the menu. He froze. Not because he lacked capability,

A few months ago, I requested to shadow our HR Director for a week. She’s one of those rare leaders who makes even the toughest conversations feel human. I wasn’t asked to do it. I chose to. Because part of my role involves training onboard managers on HR and leadership policies—and I realized I didn’t just want to teach them, I wanted to understand how they truly work when the stakes are high. On the very first morning, I watched her handle a challenging employee concern. Sh

In the world of hospitality and cruise lines, unpredictability isn’t a rare event—it’s the constant backdrop. Regulations shift...

In hospitality, the real “make or break” moment isn’t the five-course dinner or the spa treatment. It’s the first ten seconds....

Over the years, across cruise ships and luxury hotels, I’ve realized that Learning & Development is no longer just about delivering...

Each port of call is a reminder: life is not about the final destination, but about the courage to dock, refuel, and set sail again....

There was a time when the loudest voice in the room was considered the most knowledgeable.  Today? The best trainers know when not to...

What if your next L&D initiative felt less like a “to-do” and more like a business game-changer? 🎯 Last quarter, I joined an ops huddle...

Let me be real for a moment. After 20+ years in L&D, most of it in hospitality, I’ve seen the same thing happen too many times: A...