Archived Bad leadership Rant

[ClearanceMaster]

My ETLs are horrible. Most of the time they are sitting in the office doing absolutely nothing on the computer. They are bosses, not leaders. The only time I see them on the floor helping is when my STL gets chewed out on a visit.

We've had a few tms transfer recently and told us just how miserable our store is. I mean, all targets have their ups and downs but I believe all our problems are with our leadership. I've seen our store better and I know it can be better but I am being made out to be a negative person because I am explaining to them what our problems are and they just don't want to hear it.

An example. Softlines TL has a vacation and it's been planned and approved for weeks. All of a sudden the ETL is trying to force her to come in, and I quote, "so she doesnt have to work in softlines the next day".

Our LOG-ETL was told on numerous occasions that on sunday morning the ad wasn't being put up correctly and on his sundays he won't follow up with anyone to see if they are up, only yells at people when he asks why they aren't done. So I audit the signing cart today and there's a bunch of signs still there. I tell him and I get a blank stare. So I'm like "whatever I'll go put them up, I'm already over today but if I don't do it, it wont get done" and walked away. Now tomorrow I'll probably get talked to for being negative by my TL.

Also today, the Skylanders new release at 8am wasn't out on the floor. I tell the LOD and electronics tm and she was of no help. So I run back to lockup and I dig through tubs and find the stuff, bring it out there and help electronics push it and the POG isn't set correctly. Half the product doesn't fit on the peg, the capacites were way off... it was a total cluster. I tell the LOD and I get no response so I'm like "fine, I'll just fix it" and in return I'm told to not forget to fix the SFQ and capacities.. so im sitting there adjusting a shelf and a bunch of pegs, and she has no worry that I was scheduled pricing today after my endcap audit. Didn't do much of either today but got more accomplished than my LODs..

I'm just sick of doing THEIR job. They get paid way more than me to deal with this kind of stress. I run my team for my TL and I let the LODS know any problems before they have an opportunity to blow up but nobody follows through and I feel obligated to get it done, even if Its not directly my job.

Our last chat session I let our STL know the problems I was having with the leadership team and it seemed to get better for a few weeks but it all got messed up again.

Anyone else feel like they have a great team but horrible leadership so the store can't thrive the way it could?

 

[Bosch]

Yes.

Coming back from my break and seeing all the ETL's save for two who actually work in the STL office wondering what they are going to order for lunch and then who is going to go get it is very demoralizing when call boxes go off when everyone is on a check lane. And those same ETL's start screaming who is going to get that callbox? Umm ETL every one is on a checklane so no one is going to get that. Remember two seconds ago you called for ALL salesfloor to do a quick back up!

Repeat until you want to vomit.

 

[Kartman]

Be patient.

Soon, you will see new ones...

 

[Bosch]

Be patient.

Soon, you will see new ones...

This is true. Two more quit this week.. But its getting to that point in the year we can't have newbies for leadership. I know this holiday season is going to be a bad cluster fuck cause none of them have a real clue of what the fuck the are doing.

 

[HRZone]

Let me start by saying your complaint is not unique. Most of us have stores with young ETLs just out of college. They love to talk big picture and bark orders but because most of them did not climb from being a regular TM they do not know the hard work TMs and TLs put in.

Some ETLs work hard, I have an STL who works like a mad man. I can tell he is tired of having lazy ETLs but most of them were there before him. What he does is put his head down and work hard.

The good news is young ETLs stay at a store for roughly two years. They either move on from Target or change stores. My store is in some turnover, I hope things get better at yours.

 

[Targetcar]

When I was an STL, one of my biggest things was truly making sure we were all on the same team. I was constantly on the floor, my ETLs were respectful, did their jobs and helped TMs do their jobs as well. There really wasn't a feeling of seniority or hiarchy. In my 18 months as an STL, we barely lost anybody and if we did it was due to a promotion or leaving for family reasons. We all respected each other and learned from eachother. The TMs who were with my store for 10+ years helped me when I was just starting as the new young 27 year old STL. I learned so much from them. I felt a lot of the stores in my district had the same type of culture.
Once I was promoted and relocated I was in disbelief/ shock at how different the culture was and just how awful turnover was, not to mention STLs refusing to change, TLs who have been there for 15+ years who refused to change as the company has been, the lack of really motivated ETLs. I had some great ideas to help change culture and the way my stores do things (hello midday zoning), and in the end it was the STLs decisions to follow through or not and many times they simply thought it was their way or the highway. Between that and the extreme micromanaging from my terrible boss (who was the worst leader I've ever dealt with in my 10 years at the company. She knew how to help and make things better but she didn't know how to lead) this all ultimately led to my demise.
Poor leadership could goes so far beyond just the stores, I can go on for hours and hours. If I was only allowed to share my story....SMH!!!!

 

[Poohdini]

"They are bosses, not leaders". Exactly my thoughts about some ETLs and I'm an ETL myself. Granted, not everyone is like this - believe it or not, there are some great ETLs out there and yes the good ones came from the bottom of the totem. When I was a salesfloor TM, then TPS, all the way up to now, there is a different perspective. I hate the newbies' attitudes as much as the next but there are SOME good ones who are open minded.

Hope you guys can recover. If you start to see BPs and DTLs more often, you know change is on the horizon.

Good luck!

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Welcome, @Targetcar..

 

[qmosqueen]

 

[boobooduck]

Leadership makes or breaks a store. If you are having issues with leadership and it truly is causing you issues but you like Target/your position, then I recommend transferring. 4th quarter is the best time to do it when all HRs are hungry to meet their staffing needs.

 

[signingminion]

"They are bosses, not leaders". Exactly my thoughts about some ETLs and I'm an ETL myself. Granted, not everyone is like this - believe it or not, there are some great ETLs out there and yes the good ones came from the bottom of the totem. When I was a salesfloor TM, then TPS, all the way up to now, there is a different perspective. I hate the newbies' attitudes as much as the next but there are SOME good ones who are open minded.

Hope you guys can recover. If you start to see BPs and DTLs more often, you know change is on the horizon.

Good luck!

Sadly our team made it through the last dtl/bp squeeze. Not sure how...

 

[Rock Lobster]

When I was an STL, one of my biggest things was truly making sure we were all on the same team. I was constantly on the floor, my ETLs were respectful, did their jobs and helped TMs do their jobs as well. There really wasn't a feeling of seniority or hiarchy. In my 18 months as an STL, we barely lost anybody and if we did it was due to a promotion or leaving for family reasons. We all respected each other and learned from eachother. The TMs who were with my store for 10+ years helped me when I was just starting as the new young 27 year old STL. I learned so much from them. I felt a lot of the stores in my district had the same type of culture.
Once I was promoted and relocated I was in disbelief/ shock at how different the culture was and just how awful turnover was, not to mention STLs refusing to change, TLs who have been there for 15+ years who refused to change as the company has been, the lack of really motivated ETLs. I had some great ideas to help change culture and the way my stores do things (hello midday zoning), and in the end it was the STLs decisions to follow through or not and many times they simply thought it was their way or the highway. Between that and the extreme micromanaging from my terrible boss (who was the worst leader I've ever dealt with in my 10 years at the company. She knew how to help and make things better but she didn't know how to lead) this all ultimately led to my demise.
Poor leadership could goes so far beyond just the stores, I can go on for hours and hours. If I was only allowed to share my story....SMH!!!!

And that is why I have decided that now that I am approaching the pay range I can be happy with, that I will plant my flag at the next store that I can retire at! There is just too much risk as you promote within this company. At the end of the day, there is no reason to be greedy. If I am 85K+ and am in a store I like, I am done promoting! If you are considered good, they will keep promoting you and putting you in the worse and worse situations to fix them. At a certain point, you are going to hit a problem you cannot fix (like the one you mentioned) and you will realize you are now trapped being blamed for the failure you walked into. That is the moment you will realize you promoted one spot too far, and should have just stayed in your last spot and reaped the benefits of the well-oiled machine you just left behind.

 

[Targetcar]

And that is why I have decided that now that I am approaching the pay range I can be happy with, that I will plant my flag at the next store that I can retire at! There is just too much risk as you promote within this company. At the end of the day, there is no reason to be greedy. If I am 85K+ and am in a store I like, I am done promoting! If you are considered good, they will keep promoting you and putting you in the worse and worse situations to fix them. At a certain point, you are going to hit a problem you cannot fix (like the one you mentioned) and you will realize you are now trapped being blamed for the failure you walked into. That is the moment you will realize you promoted one spot too far, and should have just stayed in your last spot and reaped the benefits of the well-oiled machine you just left behind.

100% agree. You really couldn't have said it better. I had some major goals with the company and definitely had a "final position" I was working towards. After my shit show of an experience these past 18 months (well 10 months actually since that's when awful boss started) I have regretted not staying in my store as an STL every. Single. Day. I absolutely loved working for target (minus working holidays) and it's so sad that one person could do this to one's career. I have no doubt in my mind that I would still be with the company if I decided to stick it out and stay as an STL

 

[SalesFloorSylph]

And those same ETL's start screaming who is going to get that callbox? Umm ETL every one is on a checklane so no one is going to get that. Remember two seconds ago you called for ALL salesfloor to do a quick back up

This especially. This one at my store did her whole "TEAM TEAM TEAMTEAMTEAMTEAM who's got that call button who's getting that call button" when she was literally standing right next to it

 

[Bosch]

This especially. This one at my store did her whole "TEAM TEAM TEAMTEAMTEAMTEAM who's got that call button who's getting that call button" when she was literally standing right next to it

I have actually gotten on the radio "You need to get that everyone is on a checklane! There is no one to get that!"

 

[Fosny]

The market rollout is a bitch without ETL support. We bust our asses working two trucks and ETL-HL walks by, "Why isn't the truck finished?" Like we don't have all this other shit we have to do. Sometimes I just want my team to push both of the trucks and leave. No back stock no zone no word. And fulfill my ETLs only concern

 

[Rock Lobster]

100% agree. You really couldn't have said it better. I had some major goals with the company and definitely had a "final position" I was working towards. After my shit show of an experience these past 18 months (well 10 months actually since that's when awful boss started) I have regretted not staying in my store as an STL every. Single. Day. I absolutely loved working for target (minus working holidays) and it's so sad that one person could do this to one's career. I have no doubt in my mind that I would still be with the company if I decided to stick it out and stay as an STL

Exactly! I know STLs that said they will NEVER promote. How many STLs do you see retiring vs DTLs or above? There is a reason for that.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

So the one ETL I am having a real problem with not doing any thing wrote an email about me to my TL trying to get me in trouble for something that wasn't even my responsibility that day! I am beyond furious. She was just upset she had to get off her lazy butt and scan a few endcaps because I was too busy setting Skylanders and getting all the other signs up that everyone else neglected and that she should have walked to see if they were up or not!

We recently had our dtl come in and we were told we were getting a chat session but instead they did a "walking chat" and the LOD that everyone had a problem with picked a bunch of freshies barely out of orientation to talk to.

I guess a simple solution to my problems would be to stop caring but I can't do that.

Oh, something else we are doing. Scheduling people in workcenters and really they are in other workcenters but the computer wants more cashiers so that's what my store is giving the appearace of having.. 8 on the grid all day but only 5 are actual cashiering...

 

[redeye58]

Scheduling people in workcenters and really they are in other workcenters but the computer wants more cashiers so that's what my store is giving the appearace of having.. 8 on the grid all day but only 5 are actual cashiering..

My store does that all the time.
Other workcenters don't have the hours so their people are given cashier shifts but, as soon as they hit the front end, they're taken by their home dept with the promise that 'they'll be the first to respond' to back-up. Which is a lie, of course.
We called 'em 'ghost cashiers' because they were 'never really there'.

 

[TeamRed]

Sorry to bump this thread.. Leadership really sucks at my store and in fact it sucks so badly a team member said to a actual guest ( it was her last day) word of advice never work here the management here sucks they are awful and yell at you all the time. I mean she does have a point but I never knew she would tell a guest that.. Yikes!

 

[BigEyedPhish]

I remember my STL Forcing our brand new ETL-GE to go overnight with us for last years Market reset (we needed an LOD as Flow was 4am) so he could "learn the process". It ended up being my TL bossing not only us, but our ETL-GE around, and was a nightmare, but we all had a great humor about it, and even blasted Prince over the load speaker the night he died lol...

Now he is our ETL-HR, and we always have something to joke about. Him and my ETL-LOG are about the only leadership in this store that makes me want to "work for them, rather than just myself".