How I Cross-Trained My Way to a Career

You’re reading this article because I worked at The Great Movie Ride in 2004.

Let me explain (as long as you’re in the mood for a Disney story).

I began my Disney career as a part-time attraction host. I was an HR and ops manager for another company and looking for something fun to do on the weekends. Most people would get a hobby. I got a second job … at Disney World!

It only took two months for me to realize I wanted to make Disney my full-time career. I was totally sold on the “magic” (which is 100% real by the way). But there was a problem. I had zero tenure at a company that promotes heavily from within. My upwardly-mobile peers had already been there full-time for several years (sometimes 10, 20 or 30 years). I quickly realized that my five years of operations management experience wasn't going to get me the position I wanted. I needed a new plan. I had to find a way to show people I was ready to be a manager here, even if I was still “earning my ears".

At that point I worked in one location: Star Tours. Based on the structure of my area of the theme park, I was permitted to work in other locations too. These included Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular (Epic), Muppet Vision 3D (Muppets), Sounds Dangerous! and (my all-time favorite attraction) The Great Movie Ride (GMR). I could also be designated as a peer trainer and coordinator in each location. None of these roles required a formal promotion or transfer. They just required cross-training.

I did some research and found that a limited number of cast members worked in multiple locations. Many of the ones who did were clearly working towards advanced roles. Managers seemed to notice them more often because they were able to leverage their varied skills and move them into different positions as needed. Their skills fostered operational agility.

So, after just three months on the job, I decided to cross-train my way into a manager position at the Walt Disney World Resort. If I could become the most indispensable frontline cast member on my team, I would be an obvious choice for the next available spot … right?

The list

I created a checklist that included every possible designation and the order in which I would attempt to acquire them on my cross-training journey. I taped this handwritten list to my refrigerator at home. It looked something like ...

• GMR Tour Guide
• Epic/Sounds Dangerous
• Muppets
• GMR Gangster
• GMR Bandit
• Star Tours Trainer
• Epic Trainer
• Muppets Trainer
• Orientation Facilitator
• Epic/Sounds Dangerous Coordinator
• Star Tours/Muppets Coordinator
• GMR Coordinator

Twelve uniquely Disney positions stood between me and my goal: Guest Experience Manager.

Connecting the dots

Now ... where to begin? What could I do to check the boxes as quickly as possible so I could make my career transition? To my knowledge, no one had done this before. Plus, there were rules and expectations I had to consider. For instance, cast members were required to work in a role for at least six months before training in a new position. I had only been there for three. Plus, my schedule would have to be continuously changed to accommodate three to five days of training for each position. I only worked on the weekends. If I waited for things to progress on their own, it would take at least two years to reach my goal.

I decided to launch an influencer campaign. I wasn’t going to break any rules. Instead, I networked with people who could help me “overcome” these obstacles—for the right reasons. For example, I discovered that the wife of one of my managers oversaw training in another location. So I specifically volunteered for extra duties and extended my shifts to cover staffing gaps whenever he asked. After a few weeks, I mentioned my interest in working in other locations. I was on the training schedule shortly thereafter. The rule said you had to wait six months. I checked my first box in four. This is when I learned just how important networking is when building a career.

9 days per week

Supportive influencers would help me achieve my goal faster, but I still had to work hard to develop the knowledge and skills needed to exceed performance expectations in every role. I had to do my best work during every shift if I expected to get the next opportunity. I spent my breaks speaking with experienced cast members, picking up additional insights. I re-read job documentation to make sure I understood the finer details of each operation. I used every second on the clock to learn how to do my job better.

In addition to advancing my skills, I had to become more visible to management. My capability wouldn't help me achieve my goal if managers didn’t recognize my value. I started picking up more shifts, often working four or five per week. I became a consistent presence in the workplace. This also provided the scheduling flexibility needed for more cross-training. Of course, I was already managing another business full-time. That means, on average, I worked nine days (shifts) and drove 515 miles (home > job 1 > job 2 > home) every week during my cross-training effort.

10 months later

I checked the first box (GMR Tour Guide) on my list in November. I checked the final box (GMR Coordinator) in August the following year. In 10 months I completed 12 training programs to become the “most capable” cast member in the area. I interviewed for a manager position in October. I was added to the talent pool in December and transitioned into a full-time manager role two months later.

If I had waited to get noticed - to have my future created for me - I would probably still have been promoted. But it would have happened a year or two later. I would have missed the chance to join the training team for a major guest service initiative. I wouldn’t have become an L&D manager. I wouldn’t have made the connections that would recruit me to my next organization. I wouldn’t have found that unique opportunity to experiment and hone my perspective on modern workplace learning, which led me to start writing and speaking. I certainly wouldn't have written my first book and may have never found my way into tech.

Continuous development is essential

The moral of my story is simple: the more you can do, the more opportunities you have. I believe in the value of workplace generalists. Yes, it’s important to have a few topics on which you are a near-specialist. But in real life, a wide range of skills provides you with the flexibility needed to adapt to unexpected circumstances—like a global health crisis or the AI-enabled transformation of the workplace.

My story demonstrates the importance of rapid skill development and why it must be an organizational priority. We must establish channels and mechanisms that can help people accelerate their development so they are ready to take on new roles and additional responsibilities. This requires a shift in L&D focus—from traditional, place-and-time training to integrated, personalized learning and curated resources. Whether it’s reskilling, upskilling, or cross-training, L&D will play an essential role in getting the right people into the right positions to help organizations navigate ongoing disruption.

What career opportunities will you reveal for the people you support by making ongoing skill development an integral part of their work experience?

Thank you for everything you do. Let me know how I can help. Be well.

This article was originally written for Learning Solutions Magazine in 2020.