Archived I don't know what I'm doing.

[antivibe]

I've been a softlines team lead for close to a month now, but I still don't feel fully comfortable in my role.
My training was actually great, considering how Target trainings usually go. I'm by no means an expert, but I feel confident handling most tasks. I actually work alongside another softlines TL and she is great. However, I feel like our workload is very uneven. She takes on most of the workload and I end up feeling useless. Most stores that have more than 1 TL in the softlines department usually split up the department, so that one TL has one chunk of softlines and the other has the rest. My STL is completely against this and wants us both to take responsibility in all areas.

Anyway, during this first month I've focused on getting to know my team and looking at the department's issues. This is what I have seen so far, but I'm not sure how to tackle some of these. I don't want to be the type of person to make a ton of changes as soon as I step into my new role. I'm an internal promoted TL, so I still feel a bit self-conscious with this.

• No one is auditing the VA.
• VA team is not being held accountable at all: leaving behind unfinished POGs, VAs, signing, and leaving fixture/trash carts all over the place.
• We have an excessive amount of clearance tables, instead of it being hung. This makes zoning even more challenging.
• No one is flexing and we have a ton of empty tables, quads, and convertibles.

Some of these have very easy fixes, but my partner TL doesn't agree and defends some of these issues. I was having a discussion with a TM who left all these fixtures and trash behind. I was letting her know how it was unacceptable and how we should take ten minutes to clean up, blah and so on. Then my partner TL approaches and tells me how there is no time for them to do this.

I'm sorry that this was such a long post and it seems more of a rant than anything.

Any other team leads that have partner TLs? How do you share the workload? What about being on the same page for expectations for TMs?

Any softlines TLs have any tips or words of wisdom to share? Regarding softlines in general

What does an average day for you look like? What kind of stuff do you do on an opening or closing shift?

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Hey @sher or @Bosch , we need some help here, please.

 

[Producer]

I know very little about softlines, but it seems like a solution would be what you mentioned at the beginning: split up the department into even workloads between you and your fellow TL. Every TL needs the freedom to make decisions in their own department, and it's hard to have that when you have to make joint decisions with another Team Lead. It's possible (though I'm not saying this is the case) that the other team lead doesn't want to split it because they want to exert their power over the whole department and keep things the way that they want. If they're not treating you as a peer, then that's an issue to take up with your ETL.

 

[antivibe]

I agree with you Producer. Splitting the floor would be neat, but the TL, old ETL, and my STL are all against it. They fear that if we split it we will only focus on our areas and not fix or help out with other sections. Splitting is out of the question.

We lost our ETL not long ago and it makes the whole situation a bit more stressful.

I don't think I have an issue with my peer wanting to be the only one in control. I feel like she tries to be friends with the team and avoids holding them accountable for stuff. It ends up creating more work for us in the end.

 

[tgtguy]

Your fellow team lead isn't doing your team any favors...by letting simple things get overlooked. Problem team members will and can sense the difference in your leadership styles and will pounce on it . They will think that what you say doesn't matter cause the other team lead will just over ride it and take up for them. So, be careful and mindful of those team members. Both of you need to come up with a game plan (together) for your team and department...this way the team knows it doesn't matter which one of you is there ( or even if you are both off ) the expectations are the same.

 

[PugMuffin]

Hey, if it makes you feel better, most of the Team Leads that I've met don't know what they're doing either.

 

[sher]

These problems are above my pay grade, but I do have two team leads. I'll give you my lowly tm opinion. My TLs split softlines, but sometimes they work together on areas. They actually do avoid stuff. One hates rtw and one hates baby so they just avoid like the plague. But they're on the same page usually so it still works. If you can't keep areas, maybe a rotation could be a compromise. Were there two TLs before? Or is she used to TLing alone?

Idk how to fix the fixture/trash cart thing. We have one of those too.

Clearance tables. On slow mornings (or nights, but those are rarer) bring the stuff to the fitting room along with extra hangers. My TLs do that. We keep the clearance tables when there's nothing to go on the table though. Zoning it isn't a problem unless they're next to the registers because then they call you for backup. Ours are usually in the back so I typically get them folded and well organized. Some people just fold them and leave them all mixed. I can't do it because it looks bad and it seems easier to shop and easier to maintain if I organize it. So I do.

Flexing... I hate flexing lol. Because of inefficient flow team, it typically adds extra work for me. Wait, I was thinking gondolas and just remembered you were talking tables. Figure out their reasoning against it, first, then address their concern. Splitting stacks of t shirts doesn't take long, though.

TLing as a team sounds horrible. I hated group projects in school because I never quite trusted the people in my group, so I'd do a lot of the work because I don't want my grades to be reliant on someone else's work. I think that's how your other TL feels. She's taking most of the workload as self preservation.

 

[antivibe]

Thanks everyone!

The area has always had 2 TLs for softlines, but they always quit. My current partner has been in role for 6 months and she was alone during those months.
I was able to focus on some of the issues with the team, since I worked mornings for once.

Sher, bringing the clearance to the fitting room is a good idea, I will try that. I usually just bring a wad of hangers with me which isn't efficient.
Having a partner TL is actually kind of nice. We work opposite schedules, so communication isn't great, but the team is able to talk to us if they
have any questions or issues.

 

[Bryantpp]

I've been a softlines team lead for close to a month now, but I still don't feel fully comfortable in my role.
My training was actually great, considering how Target trainings usually go. I'm by no means an expert, but I feel confident handling most tasks. I actually work alongside another softlines TL and she is great. However, I feel like our workload is very uneven. She takes on most of the workload and I end up feeling useless. Most stores that have more than 1 TL in the softlines department usually split up the department, so that one TL has one chunk of softlines and the other has the rest. My STL is completely against this and wants us both to take responsibility in all areas.

Anyway, during this first month I've focused on getting to know my team and looking at the department's issues. This is what I have seen so far, but I'm not sure how to tackle some of these. I don't want to be the type of person to make a ton of changes as soon as I step into my new role. I'm an internal promoted TL, so I still feel a bit self-conscious with this.

• No one is auditing the VA.
• VA team is not being held accountable at all: leaving behind unfinished POGs, VAs, signing, and leaving fixture/trash carts all over the place.
• We have an excessive amount of clearance tables, instead of it being hung. This makes zoning even more challenging.
• No one is flexing and we have a ton of empty tables, quads, and convertibles.

Some of these have very easy fixes, but my partner TL doesn't agree and defends some of these issues. I was having a discussion with a TM who left all these fixtures and trash behind. I was letting her know how it was unacceptable and how we should take ten minutes to clean up, blah and so on. Then my partner TL approaches and tells me how there is no time for them to do this.

I'm sorry that this was such a long post and it seems more of a rant than anything.

Any other team leads that have partner TLs? How do you share the workload? What about being on the same page for expectations for TMs?

Any softlines TLs have any tips or words of wisdom to share? Regarding softlines in general

What does an average day for you look like? What kind of stuff do you do on an opening or closing shift?

From the list of things missing in your dept. it sounds like you would have tons of work to do. I don't like all these "Leader" titles, its just BS, half the time the "Team Leader is still doing the exact crap they were doing when they got hired as a cashier 20 years ago, the only reason they have that title is because they have been there so damn long and have never had any other work experience. DOn't let your fellow"TL" show you up, they are probably threatened because they know you could do a better job than they do. Show them who is boss, just roll=up your sleeves and make your department the best in the store.