Archived How do you know if you are getting coached?

[Solidus1337]

Hello, I'm a relatively new cart attendant at my Target store so there are quite a few things I'm not sure about since it is my first retail job. How do you know if you are getting coached? Also, is there anything I can do to prevent being coached?

 

[TooMuchRed]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think with any official coaching you'll be taking the walk of shame up to the HR or a TL office.

I could still be wrong. They never really clarified. They use it as the boogeyman at my store. OR YOU'LL BE COACHED WOOOOOO *ghosts noises*.

 

[Stuckinsoftlines]

you can also have on the spot coaching conversations

i was told by hr that you do not need to inform the tm that they are being coached so odds are you wont know.

i like to tease people and say "this is an offical coaching conversation" in a sarcastic manner

 

[Ludwig3]

The best is when Flow has a bad unload and the ETL declares in huddle "WE WILL PULL YOU AWAY AND COACH YOU ON THE SPOT". Just get through those 4 hours and let em go home. Come on now! :rofl:

 

[invictustaylor]

You will have either an effeminate male or retarded/trendy female who looks like they work a lot less than other team members verbally reprimanding you...usually they beat around the bush, are extremely non intimidating, are verbose and use company lingo in a serious manner. The conversation will be about a deficit of yours, how it is against policy, and what you need to do.

It's pretty easy to tell and it's quite funny because it really doesn't mean much. You will be verbally coached numerous times before it goes to write ups. you will be then written up numerous times and put on final. A team member at our store signed an attendance final notice about 5 times lol before they finally termed him!

 

[MrGSTLman]

I, for one, don't consider myself an "effeminate" male, but I digress. Yes, you are right the TM does not see any documentation that they have been coached, but as they say, "it is what it is." Anytime a TL or ETL has to give you constructive feedback on your performance it is "coaching."

If I need to pull a TM into the office for something they did, or to speak to them about their performance, I do so. I don't use Target-speak, I get to the point, but I also try to help the team member find ways to improve their performance. I do not tell a team member "you suck" and leave it at that. Unlike others, I want my team members to succeed in their positions be it Cart Attendant, Cashier, etc.

 

[spikegrouchy]

Hello, I'm a relatively new cart attendant at my Target store so there are quite a few things I'm not sure about since it is my first retail job. How do you know if you are getting coached? Also, is there anything I can do to prevent being coached?

Sometimes you know you are getting coached and sometimes you don't. Your supervisor does not have to tell you that a conversation is a coaching...this is something I always thought was bogus, however, but it is standard procedure at some stores.

When I was a team lead, I always told my team member if the conversation was a coaching or not. I would say that "THIS IS A COACHING," so there was no chance of a misunderstanding. I would always tell my team members that unless I told them that "THIS IS A COACHING," then it was not a coaching.

I hated whenever I was "coached" but my supervisor would not tell me that it was a coaching. It seemed underhanded to me. But you can ask if the conversation is a coaching or not and your supervisor must tell you "yes" or "no."

Also, if you think you are going to be coached, I would be proactive and talk about the incident and/or behavior that you think might be a coaching to your supervisor.

Good luck.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Since you are a ca, if you aren't fulfilling your job requirements everyday, your etl or Gstl will have chat with you.
Here are some examples:
1. Empty cart wells inside the store.
2. Putting over 30 carts on the quik cart. Big no-no.
3. Hiding in the parking lot, talking on your cellphone.
4. Not emptying trash cans outside.
5. Lying to Gstl & saying the lot clear after store closing or texting away...

Etc, etc...

 

[buliSBI]

They can be informal or very formal. It could be a TL/ETL correcting you on the spot, or they could call you back to the offices with a witness to scold you. I seen a store hand a person a printed form documenting an incident with feedback.

 

[invictustaylor]

I, for one, don't consider myself an "effeminate" male, but I digress. Yes, you are right the TM does not see any documentation that they have been coached, but as they say, "it is what it is." Anytime a TL or ETL has to give you constructive feedback on your performance it is "coaching."

If I need to pull a TM into the office for something they did, or to speak to them about their performance, I do so. I don't use Target-speak, I get to the point, but I also try to help the team member find ways to improve their performance. I do not tell a team member "you suck" and leave it at that. Unlike others, I want my team members to succeed in their positions be it Cart Attendant, Cashier, etc.

Most etl's seem to either be feminine or have that nervous type of energy where they are like bobbing their head, shooting around glances like a gopher, etc, etc. You may not be and if that's the case then sir I apologize!

 

[Barcode]

Just be sure that you are trying to be as efficient as possible while working, especially if you're a new CA. CA is one of the harder roles to grasp onto, and the first few weeks you will feel overwhelmed. Just keep your head up, and do your best, and show a positive attitude, and you should be fine

 

[invictustaylor]

here's a good humorous example of your typical Etl at target.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF8GhC-T_Mo&feature=related

LOL

 

[pzychopopgroove]

You'll know when it happens.

 

[talan123]

If they make you sign something, you are screwed.

If they pull you aside and lecture you, you can ignore it

If they just yell at you across the parking lot, you can run them over with the CA.

 

[mrknownothing]

If they just yell at you across the parking lot, you can run them over with the CA.

Haha that's hilarious!

 

[insiteful1]

Coachings can be documented without a TM even knowing they were coached. Corrective actions MUST be signed by the TM. You will know when you are on CA.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Lol talan!

 

[talan123]

Seriously, Cart Attendent's are hero's in my book because they are going out in the middle of winter and bringing in those carts. Between trying to be run over by dumb drivers and being ignored by the rest of the team, how they find the energy to do their job is beyond me.

 

[mrknownothing]

Seriously, Cart Attendent's are hero's in my book because they are going out in the middle of winter and bringing in those carts. Between trying to be run over by dumb drivers and being ignored by the rest of the team, how they find the energy to do their job is beyond me.

And they have to clean the restrooms (shudder).

 

[commiecorvus]

Seriously, Cart Attendent's are hero's in my book because they are going out in the middle of winter and bringing in those carts. Between trying to be run over by dumb drivers and being ignored by the rest of the team, how they find the energy to do their job is beyond me.

I tried to tell one of the new CAs that he had an important job and that I appreciated what he was doing even if nobody else did, only to receive the look usually reserved for politely dealing with the feeble minded.

 

[buliSBI]

I think every STL/ETL needs to do a CA shift during the holidays. It will show them the ridiculous amounts of duties CAs have to deal with during a busy shift.

 

[invictustaylor]

kind of suprised how everybody is talking up cart attendant. I was gonna start flaming but then I realized I'm ignorant on the subject because I've only been a cart attendant at a grocery store. I'm sure target could come up with enough retarded stipulations and best team practices to make it a hard job.

actually cancel that, I have went out and got carts a dozen or so times at target. Granted I've never used the cart mover, so can everybody please explain to me what makes it so hard? You guys say the physical aspect of moving carts in cold weather? Well I invite anyone who said that to come unload the truck with me for two hours at four am!!!

 

[buliSBI]

kind of suprised how everybody is talking up cart attendant. I was gonna start flaming but then I realized I'm ignorant on the subject because I've only been a cart attendant at a grocery store. I'm sure target could come up with enough retarded stipulations and best team practices to make it a hard job.

actually cancel that, I have went out and got carts a dozen or so times at target. Granted I've never used the cart mover, so can everybody please explain to me what makes it so hard? You guys say the physical aspect of moving carts in cold weather? Well I invite anyone who said that to come unload the truck with me for two hours at four am!!!

The actual cart duty is not that hard except for harsh weather. Its the combination of doing carts (max of doing 25 with pusher; 7 by hand), carry-outs, bagging lanes, emptying trash, cleaning spills, checking bathrooms hourly, managing the can/bottle recycler (some stores), taking back defects, emptying hangers .....

 

[invictustaylor]

yeah I have sympathy for those doing carts in winter and also for those who have to clean bathrooms. Most of the other stuff sounds like busy work that I would be glad to have because I hate boredom on the job. But I could see if it was overwhelming and you were expected to have everything completed without having enough time!

 

[FrontEndKnowItAll]

The job itself is not necessarily 'difficult' it is just a ton of busy work that needs to be done and god forbid that you miss any of the tasks or heads will roll!!!!