Tactics for the new guerrilla trainer

How does a trainer survive in the treacherous terrain of, say, a call cente r? Especially when the market-minded CEO of the organization is a bit appre hensive about trying unfamiliar training tactics? Well, one, you resist acc epting that restricted vision, and, two, you attack mediocrity with guerril la training-using calculated, provocative attack-and-withdrawal techniques. A successful guerrilla training campaign requires these actions: Recognize that you are one of the best things that ever happened to your co mpany. You have ideas. You have hopes and enthusiasm. You have vision. Beco me as knowledgeable about your industry as anyone alive. Reach out to the best people in the company. Best in this sense means intel ligent, creative, daring people who are also borderline malcontents-not nec essarily people with the most visibility. Train as if your life depended on it. Plan spontaneity. Be sincere. If people see what you're doing as part of some sinister scheme , your hard efforts will come to naught. Get the company to spend money on training. The more money that the company invests in your department, the more it will expect in return. Guerrilla training, done properly, is an art form. Inform and enlighten you r learners. Stand up. Dance. Juggle. Skate. Sing. Shove ROI reports into pe ople's hands. Show managers the connection between quality assurance and em ployee empowerment. And most important, never give up.