Archived Best and worst team lead positions

[bullseyehomie]

I'm just wondering what you all think the best and worst team lead positions at target are? I personally have no idea. I'm on the bench and I'm just curious what all of your thoughts are.

 

[HLN13]

Not GSTL... so much work. Personally I’d say something like a dairy/Frozen TL. They’re basically always responsible for the same thing where as Hardlines/Softlines TLs have a much larger area and have a wider variety of things to deal with. My vote for best would go to Dairy/Frozen and my vote for worst goes to GSTL.

 

[jenna]

Worst - Flow.

 

[CrimsonRaven712]

I'd say that Backroom is the worst. So many metrics to get measured on and every problem in any of the stockrooms is automatically their fault. Flow is bad too, but they don't really have as many metrics to be graded on and at least in my store their team is bigger so they can get more work done.

 

[Planosss]

To each is own. All TL positions have their share of challenges. Some challenges are more severe than others, but no work center is immune from it. The key is to learn from those challenges, and become a better person/Leader because of them. Ive had doubts about my self when faced with a challenge that was too burdensome. However after overcoming the challenge the feeling of accomplishment makes all the hardwork totally F***ing worth it!

 

[LUNCHpod]

At my store, VM (TL pay grade, not a TL) and PMT are by far the best. Little pressure, low expectations, and no one really knows what they do.

 

[MrGSTLman]

I wouldn't say GSTL is the worse position there is, on the contrary, there are times when it is the best, especially when you get to be the one to help someone have a great guest experience (okay, now that the kool-aid has been sufficiently consumed),

You DO need to have a certain personality trait to be a GSTL. You have to have a poker face when people are screaming at you, and have to have that ability to deal with problems coming at you from every end.

Anything in the logistics process has my vote for worst position. Just too much to try and deal with. It was my least favorite position I had ever held. Price Accuracy TL being a close second.

 

[SilentCrow]

To each is own. All TL positions have their share of challenges. Some challenges are more severe than others, but no work center is immune from it. The key is to learn from those challenges, and become a better person/Leader because of them. Ive had doubts about my self when faced with a challenge that was too burdensome. However after overcoming the challenge the feeling of accomplishment makes all the hardwork totally F***ing worth it!

This!

I think all positions have crap they have to deal with. Also what might be frustrating for you might not be as frustrating for the next guy. My motto has always been if others are able to do it, so can I.

My current role as a GSTL is extremely frustrating for me because I honestly don't like nor do I enjoy being around people. Despite that I perform on an extremely high level. It might be the worst position for me given my personality.

All positions have challenges at the end of the day.

 

[SrTLall]

Having been in every TL position except for AP and PPTL, I'd say GSTL is the worst. Being GSTL was easy, but dealing with the absurdity known as 'guests' made that position unbearable. Personally, I liked Food Ave TL the best because, no matter how shitty the rest of the store got, it had zero impact on my area. It was like running my own little business inside of Target.

 

[bullseyehomie]

I'm currently a GSA so dealing with guests isn't really a huge deal to me since I typically work without a GSTL. That's actually the position I really wanted but that's off the table so I'm wondering what position I should be hoping opens up next.

 

[dejesus]

gstl is bipolar
sometimes is great fun and joyous
other times its hell
my gstl can afford to do very little work so it cant be that bad a position :^)

grocery tl seems like a decent lead spot to be tho

 

[Sanzano]

A GSTL with a great, talented high capacity and developed team, is pretty much free money. That is, assuming your personality fits the social aspect of the role. This is the position I'm currently in with my most recent store. I can essentially just let the front run, and just be there to steer.

 

[TheBeastPMT]

Best-
PMT- Schedule, and people dont know what you do. It can get annoying as fuck sometimes but overall one of the better TL spots.
Electronics TL- Usually comes with half of Hardlines, but overall easier.
Market TL if you have good PAs
VMTL I guess- Depends who they are and what work they do.


Worst-
Plano- A lot rides on you, and timing is key.
Flow- Shits crazy.
GSTL- Bruh.

 

[HRZone]

You guys are all wrong. Human Resources TL (non senior) is by far the easiest. Think about it you have an etl hr responsible for the big picture stuff and you have hrtms under you to do the grunt work.

Best job in the store bar none

 

[HRZone]

In all seriousness it just depends on how you're wired, your aspirations, etc.

They all have their pros and cons.

GSTL

Pros: You have so much control of your success. For a salesfloor team lead, sales can be fickle but regardless of circumstances you can bring great service everyday.

Cons: dealing strictly with people. Cashiers in my experience are the more high maintenance team members. Red card goals and NPS can be a matter of luck. Probably receive the most guest abuse of team leads.

Hardlines TL
Pros: not an easy position persay but with a strong team and payroll you can be pretty hands off. Pretty easy to stand out on a visit thanks to well planned end caps and trend runs.

Cons: so many salesplans. Usually a lot of physical square space to be responsible for. Poor zones can ruin a visit.

Softlines TL
Pros: hours are pretty good which makes retention easier (at my store atleast), the support of a vm to make your area look good, visual merchandising guides may or may not be helpful.

Cons: by far the most advanced end to end process. Very difficult to find and develop well rounded team members.

Pricing TL
Pros: Softlines has taken over their pricing so work load has decreased. Not a overly demanding job. Schedule is pretty set with mornings.

Cons: only in high volume stores as most stores combine pricing and Plano. Pricing hours have dropped quite a bit with end to end.

Plano TL
Pros: ideal schedule, almost never have to close. Either overnight or early morning. Plano TL also has the easiest job when it comes to staffing. Most stores don't hire external but steal the best hardlines and or softlines team members for Plano.

Cons: you have to really strategize with your workload. Also move work ahead to spread out the work load so you're team doesn't starve when things slow down.

HR TL non senior
Pros: hrtm to do grunt work. Etl for big picture stuff.

Cons: can't think of any

Hrtl senior
Pros: great stepping stone to etl.

Cons: workload of an etl hr on hourly lay.

Flow or Backroom tl
Pros: more of a focus on task than talent management than other positions.

Cons: End to end have meant cuts to hours. Target has a fairly inefficient logistics process.

Harder to promote, in 2017 group leaders started pushing fot salesfloor TLs to be seniors instead of log.

 

[sprinklesontop]

Cons: workload of an etl hr on hourly lay.

Hmmmm...... interesting. Would that be "every" hour? Or does one get a break in between?

 

[Backroomgirl]

I think Plano and flow are the most challenging and carry the heaviest work load, BUT they are my top two choices for position after backroom lead.

Gstl would drive me crazy.

 

[tellmeaboutatime]

Soft Lines Team Lead- Medium Glorified laundry person. You will be folding clothes all day long every day. Its like picking up after an entire sorority trashed the store...every hour. With E2E just whine and plano will set your adjacencies and revisions. Price will take care of your workload. Time management skills necessary
Hard Lines Team Lead - Technically not hard. However you are expected to train your people with no training hours. Doesn't really matter though, you will all be on the check lanes all night and day. Time management skills necessary
GSTL - Piece of cake. Keep things fun. If you get busy or have a call off, no problem the sales floor will cover. Kissing ass skills when you want to kill someone necessary
Flow - Hard. Never know the size of the truck(s). Get it done anyway. You will be the whipping boy for the store. Overstocked? Flow did it. Overspent? Flow. Crew is "eclectic". Have a call off or 2 or 3 or 4? Doesn't matter, no one to call at 3AM. Deal with it and get it done. Job is much like corralling cats
Backroom - Medium. Everyone will drop POGS, EXFs and Mancafs. You have 1 person, now get it done. You need help but don't want it. People who try to backstock and have no clue where to put stuff will kill your numbers and the morale of your team when they see what the "helpers" did to your previously organized area, Organizational skills. Physically demanding
Plano/Price - Hard. Two words...Cosmetics resets. Unrealistic workload. Revisions can be from 2% changes to 70% changes. Or 1 new item and the batch pulls 4 tubs (unless you cheat the system and change the pull) You will wind up completely cleaning areas because the sales floor does not have the time to do basic maintenance in their areas because they are all at the lanes.Constant battles with peers on who owns what. Clearance merchandising, back stocking, cleaning etc etc. Organization skills, thinks globally, able to change direction at a moments notice
Starbucks TL - Can vary from easy to Kill me depending on if you have a highly trained team. The job itself is not hard,

I know some or most of you will think I am off my rocker. However I have been in every one of these positions and this is how I saw it.

 

[SFSFun]

Best: PMT

Worst: Flow

GSTL is bad, but at least you don't have payroll and workload forecasts that fluctuate drastically and can change on a whim, and at least you aren't sweating and physically exhausted when you get chewed out by your ETL at the end of the day.

 

[Planosss]

So like... sbux/food ave TLs are TLs too .... but just like in store, they arent even mentioned here... like why?

 

[Snapeeee]

I would say that the best would be the ones I would shoot for, which are HRTL or GSTL. Starbucks TL seems like an interesting run.

 

[theissueoftissue]

Best-
PMT- Schedule, and people dont know what you do. It can get annoying as fuck sometimes but overall one of the better TL spots.

I stopped arguing years ago with team members who said I don’t do anything, I just agree with them now, much easier and it shuts them up faster.

 

[BigEyedPhish]

My preferred would be Market TL, not because it is easy, but I literally did the same thing with 1/3 the staff, as my "Market Team" does these days.

 

[TheBeastPMT]

I stopped arguing years ago with team members who said I don’t do anything, I just agree with them now, much easier and it shuts them up faster.

The two things to PMT,

1- You dont do anything

2- Everything ever is your fault

 

[IWishIKnew]

I would assume our store has a PMT but being new and on the sales floor I haven't met them. I get the feeling that the PMT position is one that you don't notice if they do their job well but notice very much if they don't...