Growing up in a family proud of its German heritage, I occasionally heard words that had no direct English translation. Most faded into the background over the years, but one has stayed with me recently because I finally understand what it means.
Freudenfreude.
It is the feeling of genuine joy from another person’s success.
Not because it benefits you.
Not because you receive recognition.
Simply because seeing someone else thrive brings you happiness.
It took me years, and an unexpected chapter in my career, to fully appreciate that word.
Serving as CHART’s Education Strategist has been one of the greatest professional privileges of my life. People often assume that role is about designing education, creating conference experiences, developing learning tracks, or introducing new ideas. While those things certainly matter, they aren’t what I’ll remember most.
What I’ll remember are the people.
The title “Education Strategist” suggests someone responsible for creating learning. The truth is, I simply had one of the best seats in the house.
I had a front-row seat to watch people grow.
I watched first-time presenters nervously step onto a stage wondering if they belonged, only to walk off receiving standing ovations and invitations to speak again.
I watched volunteers raise their hands to help with a single project, only to discover leadership abilities they never knew they possessed.
I watched board members turn conversations around conference tables into initiatives that continue to strengthen our association years later.
I watched experienced facilitators generously mentor newcomers, never worried that sharing what they knew somehow diminished their own value.
I watched members arrive looking for ideas and leave with renewed confidence, stronger friendships, and a deeper belief in what they could accomplish.
Hospitality has always been a unique profession.
In many industries, knowledge is guarded because knowledge creates competitive advantage.
In hospitality, our instinct is often exactly the opposite.
- We share.
- We encourage.
- We mentor.
- We celebrate.
We genuinely want one another to succeed because we understand something larger than ourselves: when one of us becomes better, our entire industry becomes better.
Over the years, I began to realize something.
The greatest moments of leadership rarely happen when everyone is looking at you.
They happen when everyone is looking at someone else because you’ve helped create the opportunity for them to shine.
Somewhere along the way, my own definition of success quietly changed.
Earlier in my career, success often meant delivering the presentation, solving the problem, leading the initiative, or earning the recognition.
Today, those things matter far less.
Now I find myself asking different questions.
- Who found their voice?
- Who gained confidence?
- Who discovered a new passion?
- Who stepped into leadership for the first time?
- Who left believing they were capable of more than they imagined?
Those are the moments that stay with me.
Those are the moments that make me smile on the drive/flight home.
Those are the moments that remind me why leadership has never really been about leading.
It has always been about helping others discover they can.
Looking back, I realize that every conference, every planning meeting, every competency discussion, every presenter coaching session, every board conversation, and every volunteer project was never just about education.
It was about people.
To every presenter who trusted us with your ideas…
To every volunteer who gave your time when you already had too little…
To every board member who challenged us to think differently…
To every committee member who quietly worked behind the scenes…
To every attendee who invested in your own growth…
Thank you.
You probably believe I helped shape your journey.
The truth is…
You shaped mine.
Maybe that’s what leadership eventually becomes.
Less spotlight.
More stage lighting.
Less collecting credit.
More creating opportunities.
Less asking, “What did I accomplish?”
More asking, “Who accomplished something because I was there?”
Perhaps that’s the real meaning of Freudenfreude.
Finding joy not in being the success story…
…but in helping write someone else’s.
If that’s true, then I count myself incredibly fortunate.
Because over the past several years, I’ve had one of the best seats in the house. Thanks for the opportunity!
A “Thank You” to Curt from CHART:
Curt, thank you for your vision, your generosity, and your belief in people. Your legacy will continue to shine! As CHART’s immediate past President Kelly McCutcheon noted about Curt:
Curt’s CHART journey has achieved many milestones through the years. In 2002, he volunteered on his first conference team. In 2008, he led as CHART President. In 2023, he returned to the board as our Education Strategist where he has served for the past three years. The Ed Strat role is typically a two-year commitment, but in true Curt fashion, he went the extra mile.
During his tenure, Curt not only led the launch of The Lobby, CHART’s new LMS, but filled it with articles, courses, and discussion forums. What began as an enhanced way to track competency completion quickly became a community hub. Additionally, over the past few years, the structure and content of our competency tracks received a huge overhaul, thanks to Curt’s tenacity. He’s built a strong succession of competency facilitators and mentors who will carry his work forward.
His people-first approach has shaped his years as Education Strategist and leaves a lasting mark on our community.
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