Answered Still on the bench.

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Oct 26, 2019
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Anyone else been on the bench over a year? Top performers? Stellar reviews? Still passed over many times? You‘ve championed so many special projects for your dept you could scream? Your team leaders adore you and say “you will be promoted, you will!” But that never happens? The leaders they chose to promote are shocking? That’s me... please tell me there are other people out there who have been through this and had a good result? Feeling so discouraged. Any stories, funny or not so funny are truly appreciated!!
 
Dont want to give away my full story but 10+ years at target. 3 on the so called bench. Everything you said and more. Threatened to leave and got a position next day. Dont recommend that approach. i knew we needed another tl and i do believe i would of again been passed over if i had not done that.
 
 
Seems like Spot paints that bench with super glue, especially for people who are doing a great job in their current position and leadership wouldn’t want to, or be able to, easily replace. On the other hand, leadership at my store shocked everyone when they filled a TL position with a newish TM who barely could do their own job, but the store had to have another TL in place so the ETLs could take their overlapping vacations, so, instant promotion!
 
I was in your shoes for a good month before I got fed up. What got me the position was me literally bothering the ETL in my department, HR ETL, and the STL, every single day until they gave me the interview, position, and the pay within 2 weeks. Literally asking and telling them give me the interview, I need to become a TL, I feel like I'm a TL already, I'm bring extreme value to the team and this store, I deserve this. Constantly stay in their ear and they'll never forget you and they'll see the drive and desire you have and if they know any better they will give you the position. Something I learned after almost 10 years is you really have to TAKE THE POSITION more than you have to earn it because people will take it from you and you will be like "how the hell did he get TL before me". Another thing I learned is they will never just hand you the position on a golden platter. People at my store over 10 years wondering why a TL position was never just offered to them like a piece of cake.
 
I’m definitely trying to “play the game.” Any tips on how to do this effectively? I have jumped through every hoop, and probably way too many hoops I made for myself thinking it would win etl’s over. I have been in full-on team leader mode, but not being paid for it.
 
Me 🤦‍♀️ when I hear Tl on the bench. And then I say have fun busting your ass and not get paid for it . If they want you, they promote you , if they want to make you do the Tl job with no pay they say you are on the bench., or pipeline , or inline or whatever to make it sounds like rainbow 🌈 and sprinkles
I am amazed that any TM would be willing to be put on the "Bench" without no definitive time table as to when they would get promoted.

You could never hire an external candidate then state you will be made a TL whenever.

If you want me as a TL you need to give me a WRITTEN job offer not some vague promises that mean nothing.
 
This is sort of on this subject.
At the store I work at they picked 6 TMs to start a TL training. These TMs are the people that have been begging for at least a year, some several years to be a TL. They are not benched. One is on my team and she is driving me crazy. She is constantly taking me away from my work to show me things I already know and do not pertain to me. Constantly talking about the things she learned and how powerful it is making her feel. Today I almost told her to STFU. I don’t understand why we should be listening to her. She doesn't know much about food and that’s our department. She thought the refrigerator should be zero degrees and was trying to get a work order put in. So is she my boss or not. NoOne but here has told us she is doing training or to listen to her.They are never going to make any of them team leads anyway. Can I get couched for not doing what she asked?
 
Can I get couched for not doing what she asked?
Is she even in your work center . And no you are not gonna get coached just because of her delusions doesn’t mean she can assign task. Please let her know refrigerator doesn’t have to be at zero degree. And outing a work order will only show her delusions lol.
I would tell her she needs to mind her own business and worry about her area
 
Is she even in your work center . And no you are not gonna get coached just because of her delusions doesn’t mean she can assign task. Please let her know refrigerator doesn’t have to be at zero degree. And outing a work order will only show her delusions lol.
I would tell her she needs to mind her own business and worry about her area
She was in dry grocery for about a year. Went to Starbucks for about 6 months and now back in dry. I am Pfresh. Today she was YELLing at me that a produce pallet could not be on the floor for more than ten minutes then got a pallet jack and was going to wheel it away right while I was breaking it down. I said drop that pallet right this second or I’m walking away. She left because she was off. She only gets 24 hours a week. I have a nice no stress job that she is making very stressful.
 
She was in dry grocery for about a year. Went to Starbucks for about 6 months and now back in dry. I am Pfresh. Today she was YELLing at me that a produce pallet could not be on the floor for more than ten minutes then got a pallet jack and was going to wheel it away right while I was breaking it down. I said drop that pallet right this second or I’m walking away. She left because she was off. She only gets 24 hours a week. I have a nice no stress job that she is making very stressful.
The pallet can be out for 30 minutes. And I would have walked out and say explain that to the Etl when they come I see ya lol. Don’t put up with that shit and talk to hr about it . She can not boss people around let alone yell at people and think it’s okay
 
ASANTS. In the 14 years I was at my store, I saw a grand total of 5 TM'S promoted to TL & 1 TL promoted to ETL. The TL who promoted was promptly thrown under the modernization bus & quit after 5 months. Outside, young hires are the current rage in this district & several long time TL'S have been "performanced" out in recent months.
Best of luck to all those on the bench.
 
my managers are always telling me I should get a promotion. I am always left running the front by my self & I’ve been working at target for about a year. I stay late ALL the time when they ask & I do 10x more work than any other employee😂 I basically have perfect attendance &’ I haven’t been written up for anything. I don’t wanna overhype my self but that has to be the definition of a great employee. A lot of other advocates already see me as a manager. They always come to me with questions & whatever they might need on the register. I just wanna know what more I should do as far as showing leadership that I can effectively handle being a S&E team lead.
 
my managers are always telling me I should get a promotion. I am always left running the front by my self & I’ve been working at target for about a year. I stay late ALL the time when they ask & I do 10x more work than any other employee😂 I basically have perfect attendance &’ I haven’t been written up for anything. I don’t wanna overhype my self but that has to be the definition of a great employee. A lot of other advocates already see me as a manager. They always come to me with questions & whatever they might need on the register. I just wanna know what more I should do as far as showing leadership that I can effectively handle being a S&E team lead.
You’re doing all you can it sounds like. Work closely with SETL, help where you can.
 
I’m definitely trying to “play the game.” Any tips on how to do this effectively? I have jumped through every hoop, and probably way too many hoops I made for myself thinking it would win etl’s over. I have been in full-on team leader mode, but not being paid for it.
This post reminds me of that saying some say about living together vs. marriage - why buy the cow when you're giving away the milk for free? You're not just playing the game here; you've shown them that you're willing to do everything a TL without the compensation. What motivation do they have for actually promoting you?
That said, don't threaten to leave unless you're actually willing to follow through on the threat. It worked out for @MrT , but there's no guarantee it'll work for you.
They put me on the bench for a while until I decided I wasn't interested in playing their game. Either promote me because you think I'm capable of it or don't. When I realized what was going on and saw all the ways my TL at the time manipulated everyone around him and was still loved by the ETLs, I lost interest. I'm fine with being just a TM, much less stress that way. Less pay too, but life is full of trade-offs.
 
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