Hello everyone,
I'm brand-new to target, coming in as an ETL-HR. I'm still in training, with a couple weeks left before I'm put in my home store. I'm really interested in getting some advice from all of you on the best way to approach this new role. Having read through the forums a little bit, I can see a lot of people have gotten incredibly upset with their ETL-HRs (or just leadership in general), and I want to do my best to avoid some of those mistakes.
All that being said, please share any words of wisdom you might have - thanks!
This is long; however, it is very important that you understand these things. What Target, and every corporation needs is LEADERSHIP. Anyone can manage; however, it takes effort, skills, and competence to become a true leader. Many view management and leadership as two different concepts; I view leadership as an encompassing concept. In other words, one will exhibit excellence in management THROUGH one's excellence in leadership. My expectations for all leaders include, but are not limited to: influencing, directing, motivating, production, training, learning, competence, mobilizing, empowerment, and winning with people, and winning at the workplace. Always remember, the position does NOT make the leader; the leader makes the position. I have been in leadership roles for a few years now, and I have learned many lessons along the way. The trouble is, many of the ETL's are hired out of college, and really have no idea how to lead. Anyone can go through the six-month training and regurgitate what they have learned. Do not go on a power-trip; this screams "Insecurity" and no one will respect you. In fact, do the opposite, for when one gains a leadership position, one forfeits the right to abuse people.
The number one rule; leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. Because you have a title, people will follow you because they have to, otherwise, their job may be in jeopardy, as you will have the authority to terminate if appropriate. However, true influence is the ability to influence others with or without your position. At the positional level of influence, your team members will give you the very least amount of effort; you will get some who are self-motivated, and will give you effort, regardless of your leadership ability, but the majority will give you less than optimal effort. In other words, they will give you just enough to not get fired. You have to connect with your team; you should know almost everyone by name, and you must be able to relate them on a personal level. NO ONE CARES HOW MUCH YOU KNOW UNTIL THEY KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE! They will have to first, buy-in to YOU, then, they will buy-in to your vision. You must take a genuine interest in your team members, and be truly concerned with their thoughts and concerns. With experience, you will be able to discern extraneous needs, and legitimate needs. Only at this level will you get the maximum effort from your team.
The most important thing for a leader is to understand the law of the picture. People will do what they see; you MUST lead by example. You must be professional, cordial, and competent at all times. You will be very observant of your team members; however, understand, that the team members are watching you even more closely. If you make a mistake, admit it; no one is perfect, and you will lose respect if you do not "lead yourself" before leading others. You need to understand the job, and you need to work beside your team members. If you set a great example of great work ethic, the team will respond in kind.
One who fails to lead by example will not only lose respect, but lose the trust of their team. Trust is the FOUNDATION of leadership. Do not lie; do not bully; follow through on your promises, and show that you are trustworthy. Do not lie about anything, for a leader who lies is a paradox; a leader who lies is no leader at all; this will be clear in both title and in influence. If your team has found out that you have lied, or have committed similar hard-to-forgive sins, then they will not trust you; why should they? Do not be a toxic leader, for it will have harmful and even fatal effects on your position. My boss at a previous job had these traits, and they lost many excellent workers. As I stated previously, if you make a mistake, admit it; people will still trust someone who has made a mistake, especially if they have exhibited excellence in leadership (just don't make too many; all leaders have a certain amount of "equity").
Direction and motivation is a key, as your ability to ensure optimal performance from your team will determine your success as a leader at Target and beyond. Be sure to be excellent in communicating with your team; you need to communicate your expectations, and any needs for change. You need to give both positive and constructive feedback. Your team huddles should be positive, informative, and if any criticism is necessary, be sure to offer solutions to the issues; do not take these huddles lightly. If you have a need to confront a team member, DO NOT berate them in front of anyone else; offer ONLY constructive criticism, and do not do so in anger. As I stated, a leader loses the right to abuse people. The higher up you go, the more you will have to sacrifice. Moreover, do not whine about having to confront; gossip is unacceptable, and should be grounds for termination, especially for a leader. Set short-term and long-term goals for your team; reward those who meet these goals. Constantly berating for never being efficient enough will not get your team to work more efficiently. You have to ensure that the morale of the team is at an optimal level. Only then will your team operate smoothly.
Another important part of leadership is to empower your team. Reward those by cross-training; reward those with promotions. Only the truly secure leaders are able to give power to others. Do not squash your most talented people. Cross-training creates a WIN-WIN-WIN environment; this is what I mean by creating a winning atmosphere. You win by having a productive employee who is eager to learn, and perform at optimal levels at all times. The employee wins by becoming empowered, and this employee will receive more hours as they will be coveted in certain situations. Lastly, this benefits the Team from a wholistic standpoint; some work centers will need more help than others at certain points. Furthermore, you MUST encourage free-thought; people do not want to treated as programmed robots. As a leader, I REQUIRE free-thought; there is nothing worse than having to "hold someone's hand". Give direction, but find the balance. Showing belief in your team will encourage free-thought, and will create momentum for your team.
However, you must train as well; do not be lazy about it. poorly trained employees are not happy, and they are not productive. It makes no sense to not train an employee, in whom you invested money, time, and resources. Poor training will reflect badly on the leader (aka, you). Do not micro-manage; this will only hinder your team (there are times, especially in the training process, where micro-management may be necessary, but as a general rule, DO NOT micro-manage). Working for a micro-manager is highly unpleasant, and is a waste of time and resources. It's another way of screaming "Insecurity". In addition, you must foster an ever-learning environment; you need to always be improving and learning. You need to be open to other ideas. As the saying goes "two sets of eyes are better than one". Becoming an excellent leader is an ongoing process (I am working on it too; I'm not perfect, but I strive for excellence every day).
As a leader, you need to find ways to create momentum; momentum will solve the majority of the problems that your team may encounter. With momentum, many obstacles will become nothing more than a bump in the road. Creating a fast-fun-friendly environment will cultivate this momentum, along with production, competence, and sound decision making.
Although you will not be able to control this (but this is for Target and any corporation who desires optimal performance), but promoting from within is paramount; hiring leaders who have zero background is unacceptable and is not conducive to a Fast, Fun, and Friendly atmosphere; it is not conducive to optimal production. Reward those who show up to work and display a good work ethic. If you are short on hours, allocate the hours in such a way, that it reflects that more productive and reliable employees will receive the lion's share of the hours. The raises need to reflect productivity; 25 cent raises for people who work well is almost a slap in the face. 25 cent yearly raises are acceptable, but MERIT raises should be common. If I had it my way, I would give merit raises out often; however, I would also take back raises for those who slack off (merit raises only); this will motivate those who received merit raises to maintain their level of productivity, or even increase it (professional athletes often decline in productivity after a raise, or a large contract).
As you know, a leader will not always be popular, for they have the responsibility to make somewhat unpopular decisions. Sometimes, change is unpopular, but necessary. Sometimes, a team member may commit an offense wherein automatic termination will be appropriate. However, using disciplinary action and termination should be used sparingly. Some team members will not buy-in, no matter how hard you try. You do not need to be overly concerned if a small faction of people do not like you; you NEED to be concerned if people do not RESPECT you. Understand your duties; understand your employees; understand the culture, and always find ways to increase the knowledge of not only yourself, but your entire team. Take a big-picture approach, while paying attention to details. I hope that this helps.
ALSO REMEMBER:
The Golden Rule States: "Treat others the way YOU want to be treated"
The Platinum Rule State: "Treat others the way THEY want to be treated"
