Archived Actual Leading

[Spot4Spot]

Hey folks, as a prospective etl with prior retail experience, I've been trolling this forum and other sites for information on Target for a while. It appears that the company is big on finding leaders who can actually lead which seems to contribute to the high turnover rate. My question is, how much leading actually goes on in the stores? A stl I had an interview with claims she comes and throws the truck every once in a while, and while it doesn't seem prudent to do so for the whole process would definitely be a morale booster. Any perspective is greatly appreciared! Thanks!

 

[BckRmBeast]

Working for an ETL is frowned upon. Target seems to prefer ETLS who can't even lead verbally however. Good luck!

 

[sigma7]

Depending on the store and district, you could be leading 100% of the time or you could have barely any team to lead and therefore have to do a lot of the work yourself.

For example, there are times when hopping in to help throw truck and stock, ringing sales, covering an electronics break, or setting an endcap would show the team you are willing to get your hands dirty and work alongside them. I'd say that's a sign of a good leader. On the other hand, there are times when you hop in to throw truck and stock, ring sales, cover electronics, and set endcaps because you don't have hours for your team members, they've quit, or they've called out. You're doing this work out of necessity. I guess that could also be considered good leadership, but not in the same way.

The running joke at my store for years has been that Sales Floor TLs don't even have a team to lead.

 

[Mhugh220]

Must not be an overnight store - can't imagine my STL coming in overnight and showing my team how to throw the truck. She'd just get in the way, slow down the process, quit, then wonder why we didn't meet our goal. @sigma7 is correct - it depends on the condition of the store. If you walk into a broken process then you'll be leading with your back until the process is fixed. If your store is horrible with payroll then at the end of the month you'll be doing tasks alone and putting in the extra hours to get it done.

If the leaders at your store do nothing physically then you'll probably also do nothing because no ETL wants to be left out. If you don't fit in with the store they'll find a way to make your experience miserable until you quit or they performance you out.

What definition of leadership are you looking for? Leading from the front and being engaged or leading from the rear and watching the process from afar? If the company was interested in finding leaders it wouldn't be searching at college job fairs for students with zero leadership experience. Target looks for people who they can develop themselves, so they can apply only what they know (which is what Target taught them).

 

[Spot4Spot]

I am mostly interested with people's experiences and what they have seen at the company. I've had both experiences of coming into an ulv store and completely turning a process around and going into a high volume store and only need to tweak some things. If the process is broken, sure there is more hands on needed, however, it is my belief that even when a process is working well doesn't mean that a leader should be sitting back doing nothing. Team members should constantly be developed to move on to the next level, if they so desire, or to improve in other areas if needed.
Now should a leader always be right out in front? No, it is too easy to lose site of the big picture. And no it was a 4am store. I agree that stls more often than not get in the way, but it is usually still good for overall morale so long as they don't get in the way too much.

 

[Spot4Spot]

I know all about the no team to lead situation, we are currently in the same situation at my current store lol. Going to be an extra interesting couple of weeks.

 

[Mhugh220]

You'll make a good ETL and beyond. I got tired of the schedule and lack of leadership displayed by my fellow ETLs. They didn't focus on developing, they focused on themselves; dangling the carrot in front of TLs or Sr. TLs with no intention to promote.

You can't lead from the front all the time. It's too easy to lose track of the overall process while focusing on the task at hand. I balanced that but what broke me was the constant shortage in staff. 10 TMs can't push 2500+ trucks in a multi level store and also have 12 food pallets. We spent Monday-Thursday catching up only to do it all again next week. And my ETL-HR wouldn't support us managing talent.

I'll never consider retail again. Don't know how people can enjoy that career and working weekends or 50+ hours to sell toilet paper. 24Hr shifts while deployed for 6 months, Yes please. 14 hr retail shift - never again.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

After hearing about the layoffs, you may not have a job. There are some forum members, who were interview. Then, they got setup for transfer to a certain workcenter & found out the center has been closed this week by spot. They are in a holding pattern now.

Welcome, btw. Here's a forum link:
http://www.thebreakroom.org/index.php?threads/before-you-sign-your-life-away.171/

 

[Avier]

Management is hit or miss at most stores. You'll hit the stores where the ETLs and STL have a floor presence during your training and then once you are placed you'll see how your store does it. Actual floor presence can also depend on the "type" of shift you have, which will vary based on your store volume. For example, if you are a medium/high volume store you could be in building as the Leader on Duty (LOD) or just in your work center. As an LOD you run the show, typically I take a more reserved approach due to the nature of running logistics, floor, and front end processes. On my non-LOD shifts I take the time to jump in, work with my TLs for development or complete projects. That being said if you truck is behind and you may end up help pushing it, but I would not spend all day doing so. Personally, I like to see my STL on the floor or in the back during "busy" times (when the noon pulls hit 3 hours, 28 piece truck, etc), as you said it can help morale to see a leader pushing/pulling with you.

 

[tgtguy]

I will say upfront that I can only speak for myself and what I have seen/heard. Other stores may be different. One of the things I have learned through the years is that every leaders , leadership style is different. You have some you want and will get involved in the process...others who will sit in an office all day and yell over the walkie. I will say that as a tm I would like to see a leader who leads by example. If there are 15 tubs of bs and the br is short handed...grab a pda and bs ( and if you do don't go around bragging on yourself ) If the pog team is running behind...help set a pog or push product ...if the flow team got thrown out because there are not enough hours....get a box cutter and push some freight. Just because you do manual labor it doesn't make you any less of a leader. Its how you actually lead that makes you ( or doesn't ) a great leader. So, with all that being said...at my store the "leaders" don't really lead. They do however, have crappy attitudes and run the store like its a highschool "cool kids" club.

 

[tellmeaboutatime]

I think it is vital that ETLS actually know what the job is that they are leading. Unless you have set a planogram, its hard to know how many little things add up to make the process take longer than the time allowed. A pole in the middle of a shelf, items that are larger than the space allowed, demerchandising shelves etc. Throwing a truck when a case of pickles break. Glass and juice everywhere slows the process. Scanning outs and the PDAs go down AGAIN. Back stocking a tub of back to school that looks like it was thrown on the tub. There are things that pop up in every work center. It's nice when your ETL understands that. By working alongside your team once in while you will see first hand what slows us down and causes us to turn into dark overlords. But please don't micro manage us!

 

[commiecorvus]

Genuinely caring about the work you are doing and the people you are in charge of comes through no matter what style of leadership you choose.
Jumping in to help out when it's needed is certainly one way of proving that you care but sometimes that's not always possible, the job does entail you being in the office for calls, meetings and paperwork (however time wasting and stupid they may be).
But if you express interest in your people, remember their names, stand up for them, and don't let the company crap all over them you will be a leader.

 

[Spot4Spot]

Thanks for the responses everyone, it is greatly apprecisted! What about all the team leaders, gsas and team members put there who are looked towards as leaders in their area? What do you all look for in leaders, or how do you lead?

 

[Top Dollar]

I treat my cashiers like actual human beings with lives/thoughts/interests instead of an army of REDcard robots. I have real, non-work related conversations with them. And I like to cut through the BS when I am having work-related conversations with them. I've found that keeping it real is much more effective than spouting the same Target buzzwords and acronyms at them on a daily basis. My team respects me, and multiple cashiers have told me that I am their favorite GSTL/GSA to work with. Your team can accomplish a lot more when morale is high.

 

[sigma7]

There's a lot of things I look for, but my top 3 would be...

1) Attitude: Is this person a team player? Do they focus on the negatives or positives? Are they eager to learn?

2) Interpersonal Skills: Do they treat other people with respect? Do other people respect them? Are they able to work with people from a variety of different backgrounds?

3) Critical Thinking Skills: Do they generally make good decisions? Do they make sound business decisions under pressure and/or time constraints? Are they confident in their solutions to an array of problems and can they support the decisions they make?

If you aren't up to par on these three qualities then you are not someone I am going to invest time in developing. I can teach you everything else you need to know, but these are skills I need you to bring to the table as a leader.

 

[sigma7]

Let me further clarify that although I will encourage and foster critical thinking in all of my TMs, I'm going to need a potential leader to be someone who has displayed a developed critical thought process.

Further still, these are all the same qualities I look for in a first interview for team members as well. Any successful organization should be built on people with these skills. Ideally, I want to work with a whole team of potential leaders.

 

[Produce Queen]

I think it is vital that ETLS actually know what the job is that they are leading. Unless you have set a planogram, its hard to know how many little things add up to make the process take longer than the time allowed. A pole in the middle of a shelf, items that are larger than the space allowed, demerchandising shelves etc. Throwing a truck when a case of pickles break. Glass and juice everywhere slows the process. Scanning outs and the PDAs go down AGAIN. Back stocking a tub of back to school that looks like it was thrown on the tub. There are things that pop up in every work center. It's nice when your ETL understands that. By working alongside your team once in while you will see first hand what slows us down and causes us to turn into dark overlords. But please don't micro manage us!

I am shouting yes Yes YES to all of this! Great post

 

[BckRmBeast]

Thanks for the responses everyone, it is greatly apprecisted! What about all the team leaders, gsas and team members put there who are looked towards as leaders in their area? What do you all look for in leaders, or how do you lead?

I look for a leader who when needed will jump in and help out in any area. Someone who had their head on their shoulders and not up their behind to put it bluntly. I look for a leader with realistic expectations but still tries to motivate in a friendly manner to get more done, even if we both know it is most likely not going to happen. I lead in pretty much the same fashion. I will not ask a TM to do something I myself am unwilling to do and in the small chance I do, I recognize them like it is going out of style. Certain messes I can't deal with no matter how hard I try ( in an efficient manner) so I give props to those who can. I will lead verbally and by example but at times I am preoccupied with other opportunities and tasks and will base check-up on how diligent the TM is while at the same time avoiding any perceived preference or trust. Sincere recognition is key, if it isn't sincere think of something else to recognize the person for no matter how trivial.

 

[salesfloor10]

I treat my cashiers like actual human beings with lives/thoughts/interests instead of an army of REDcard robots. I have real, non-work related conversations with them. And I like to cut through the BS when I am having work-related conversations with them. I've found that keeping it real is much more effective than spouting the same Target buzzwords and acronyms at them on a daily basis. My team respects me, and multiple cashiers have told me that I am their favorite GSTL/GSA to work with. Your team can accomplish a lot more when morale is high.

I agree with you, but it's really difficult to make sure not to blur the line of being friends versus being friendly with them. I absolutely keep it real with my team but it can be a challenge some days (especially because I work very closely with them) to make sure to stay above the negativity and complaints they have (and not join in). I've been told the same things you have @Top Dollar about being a favorite to work with, which I appreciate. I just have some room to grow in leadership.

As for the question of how much time I spend leading, as a senior TL about 75% of the time I'm working with the team, and 25% leading.

 

[Coqui]

Like many have stated, be knowledgable about your workcenter and the team. Every ETL I've had has been useless and avoids us. My workcenter is Starbucks and the many ETLs that we got pingponged to knew absolutely NOTHING about our workcenter. They offered zero support when we needed help but they would love to come and requisition drinks for their teams in the other workcenters they oversaw. My Starbucks TL is our true backbone and she gets shit done and knows how to have an ETL do something when she needs it. My advise to you is to just get to know how each workcenter you oversee runs, partner with each TL because they are the ones who truly manage the department, it's not really the ETL.

 

[Flabbergasted]

Yep the blonde & bubbly 22-year-old ETLs only ever come to Starbucks to requisition drinks for themselves. That's about the only time they're going to interact with that workcenter.

 

[Coqui]

Yep the blonde & bubbly 22-year-old ETLs only ever come to Starbucks to requisition drinks for themselves. That's about the only time they're going to interact with that workcenter.

It's the truth, they are useless which is why I had no respect for them. We just recently got an STL who knows how to support us and she has stepped in and taken over POS for us when our lines get crazy. That was cool of her and she has been great at addressing issues and supporting our TL with certain issues.