Archived Questions for TLs promoted from within

[whippingboy]

I'm curious how many of you had to "prove" your leadership skills before being promoted, versus how many were simply promoted because there was a slot open.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

It depends on skill & talent at my store, with the stl blessing.

 

[whippingboy]

By "proving".. I mean, you were told specifically to demonstrate leadership skills, pretty much meaning bossing/directing others around in a visible manner.

 

[Barcode]

This seems like a rhetorical poll... Really?

 

[signing genie]

In my store hell no. We just promoted a guy after starting target 3 months ago to tl. He is the son of our stl and he is the laziest person i have worked with also, he is very rude to guest and other tms. I believe my tl has him on CA because of back to back ncns.

 

[Anonymous12345]

I'm curious how many of you had to "prove" your leadership skills before being promoted, versus how many were simply promoted because there was a slot open.

You don't necessarily have to prove your leadership skills because it is hard to do that when you are only a TM. But it's still possible, there is a few TMs at my store that we have run small teams and help out the TLs. The TMs respect them so usually there aren't any issues.

But the best thing to do is show you are interested in advancing with the company, find a mentor, and ask them to help develop you. Also ask your mentor, ETL-HR and STL to help you prep for interviews, so when it's time to interview with your DTL, you will be prepared.

Honestly if your supervisors and STL all like you and you interview well you should be just fine.

 

[Mhugh220]

I would give TMs extra tasks to see if they can handle it. For example, I would create captains for certain areas and challenge them to meet their goals. Some I would have run the entire flow process for a floor. I'd show them metrics, why we do things certain ways (Best Practices), shadow a TL, and work multiple areas (Flow, BR, Food process). I'd give them a situation and ask them what they would do. You could tell who had leadership abilities and who needed a little more development. I was blessed with some motivated individuals who should have been at least a TL to start, if not an ETL.

 

[whippingboy]

This seems like a rhetorical poll... Really?

Not necessarily rhetorical...my former TL was promoted simply because our department's TL was moved into an ETL slot. There were actually two people eligible because they had worked there the longest; they had decided amongst eachother who would get the promotion. I hope they make you prove yourself beforehand... but you never know. Peter Principle applies at my store.

 

[whippingboy]

In my store hell no. We just promoted a guy after starting target 3 months ago to tl. He is the son of our stl and he is the laziest person i have worked with also, he is very rude to guest and other tms. I believe my tl has him on CA because of back to back ncns.

Hmm... I'm surprised the STL's son is allowed to work in the same store.

 

[commiecorvus]

It's going to vary horribly.
Sometimes you will get cases of blatant favoritism, a family member or some such, as described.
I would guess not that often to be honest because most managers are smart enough to know that kind of BS can blow up in their face.
More often you'll have mild favoritism, someone who has done the requisite amount of butt kissing.
That's SOP.
Then there's the warm body scenario, where they have enough TLs quit at the same time that they have to promote someone, anyone.
Then they grab whoever seems the most brand.
Which means the most like them.
Ugly but also SOP.
The times when you have good management who put thought into their promotions and move up the most deserving are going to be be in the in the 50 to 60 % range.
Some folks might say I'm being charitable but I think that's a safe number.

 

[tgtguy]

I hate to say it...but here lately more times than not...its not what you know...its who you know. Tm s get promoted because they kiss up to the etls, stls....the ones that actually can lead a team...and don't kiss up...usually don't get very far.

 

[signing genie]

In my store hell no. We just promoted a guy after starting target 3 months ago to tl. He is the son of our stl and he is the laziest person i have worked with also, he is very rude to guest and other tms. I believe my tl has him on CA because of back to back ncns.

Hmm... I'm surprised the STL's son is allowed to work in the same store.

Dtl and our stl have been friends for 20 years supposedly were roommates in college