Archived Are some team lead positions easier than others?

[CaseyStryker]

Well, like some others have said, it all depends on your team and store volume. I just recently transferred to a brand new store in Feb. where I had the pleasure of setting up the store and doing planorama. I was a Sales Floor TL and took on the role of the new CTL moving from a AA+ volume Super Target to B volume PFresh. My biggest issue by far was not having experienced TM's. Simply having people you can rely on makes all the difference in the world. The first few months I was about to pull my hair out and was really questioning my decision to transfer. Though I still have a lot of issues, things have smoothed out somewhat. My PA's are set in their routines, and have a lot of potential and want to do well. Also, going from a high volume store to a low volume store, an overwhelming majority of the workload falls on me simply because of the lack of TM's at any given time. Basically, any TL position has the potential to be incredibly tough given the right circumstances. What seems easy at one store can turn into a nightmare at another. What dictates that is simply the quality of people you surround yourself with.

 

[BusyBee]

I think GSTL is the easiest TL position. All we have to manage are TMs and weird guests and crowds. If I run out of stock on the checklanes, I press a few buttons on the LPDA and voila! it appears! Sure, I'm responsible for the stores REDCard conversion percentage, but I love selling REDCards and teaching others to do it. I love my job!

I respectfully disagree! I think GSTL is one of the hardest! At least at my store. I have to manage one of the largest teams in the store, many of which I barely see but I have to know their every metric, strength, and opportunity. We only get a cart attendant once or twice a month for four hours so I get all the carts, cover food ave and Starbucks, take care of all the defectives, I stock ALL the checklane endcaps, sidecaps, gift cards, one spot, battery outpost, etc.. between guests. I answer all phone calls and do the restroom checks. I manage all the vendors who put product on the frontend. All the while answering everyone's questions.. guests, cashiers, vendors, TL's, ETL's, and team members. Plus training and interviews. The other day I did a training shift in the backroom so I can be more global and I think they have it much easier than GSTL. Don't get me wrong, they have tons of work to do and they're always busy. At least they can stick to routines and plan out most of their work. For me every minute is different and a constant juggling act of what's most pressing.

We're an ULV store so our ETL-GE is also ETL-SF so that keeps him pretty busy and I have to chip in and keep track of and do a lot of things addressed to him like IGS rollout and FF rollout. I'm also the only GSTL as they felt divided leadership would be confusing for the cashiers. Instead they used the other GSTL slot for an extra HL-TL. Maybe its just my store but GSTL is a complex position that takes a lot of attention to detail and a very special personality to deal with the crazy guests.

 

[mxrbook]

I think GSTL is the easiest TL position. All we have to manage are TMs and weird guests and crowds. If I run out of stock on the checklanes, I press a few buttons on the LPDA and voila! it appears! Sure, I'm responsible for the stores REDCard conversion percentage, but I love selling REDCards and teaching others to do it. I love my job!

I respectfully disagree! I think GSTL is one of the hardest! At least at my store. I have to manage one of the largest teams in the store, many of which I barely see but I have to know their every metric, strength, and opportunity. We only get a cart attendant once or twice a month for four hours so I get all the carts, cover food ave and Starbucks, take care of all the defectives, I stock ALL the checklane endcaps, sidecaps, gift cards, one spot, battery outpost, etc.. between guests. I answer all phone calls and do the restroom checks. I manage all the vendors who put product on the frontend. All the while answering everyone's questions.. guests, cashiers, vendors, TL's, ETL's, and team members. Plus training and interviews. The other day I did a training shift in the backroom so I can be more global and I think they have it much easier than GSTL. Don't get me wrong, they have tons of work to do and they're always busy. At least they can stick to routines and plan out most of their work. For me every minute is different and a constant juggling act of what's most pressing.

We're an ULV store so our ETL-GE is also ETL-SF so that keeps him pretty busy and I have to chip in and keep track of and do a lot of things addressed to him like IGS rollout and FF rollout. I'm also the only GSTL as they felt divided leadership would be confusing for the cashiers. Instead they used the other GSTL slot for an extra HL-TL. Maybe its just my store but GSTL is a complex position that takes a lot of attention to detail and a very special personality to deal with the crazy guests.

Sounds like a job for "Super Delegation Man." I oversee all those things, but I pull a cashier if I don't have a GSA/Cart Attendant available for most of the chores you stated. My cashiers are fully capable of training new cashiers. All my front end people are cross trained so that they can cover breaks at OP, FA, SD, and CA. Granted I'm not at a ULV, but how can you be expected to give the guests and TMs your full attention if you're stocking essentials and pushing carts and covering breaks at FA?

Don't get me wrong. I've gathered carts several times and there isn't an endcap in the 32 lanes that I haven't set or replenished, I'm capable of covering every position in the front end, but those are certainly not my main functions. I see that it gets done - I don't do it.

 

[Retail Girl]

Yep, ULV-land means the GSA/GSTL spends a lot of time in the lot these past couple of months. With only two (three if we are lucky) cashiers at a time, we don't have the extra coverage to have them do anything but cashier (and maybe collect strays). And we aren't allowed to ask the salesfloor for help getting carts because they have things to do. But we are also supposed to be managing the front lanes (from the parking lot, apparently).

 

[paidtosmile]

Yup. My opening GSA/GSTL shifts on weekdays tend to be more of "cart attendant in disguise." We typically won't get a CA in until 3 or 4pm... If we're lucky it's 2pm. Which means I spend most of the afternoon pushing carts and doing other crap because we aren't covered for ANYTHING.

 

[bullseyekindaguy]

Yep, ULV-land means the GSA/GSTL spends a lot of time in the lot these past couple of months. With only two (three if we are lucky) cashiers at a time, we don't have the extra coverage to have them do anything but cashier (and maybe collect strays). And we aren't allowed to ask the salesfloor for help getting carts because they have things to do. But we are also supposed to be managing the front lanes (from the parking lot, apparently).

Two cashiers? Two cashiers?

I would KILL for two cashiers!! I only get one cashier on weekdays, and two (if I'm lucky) on weekends.

 

[RhettB]

I have more endcap space alone than some other TLs have in their entire area, and 60 more endcaps than the other hardlines TL.

So, I would say yes some have it easier than others.

Every workcenter has to deal with guests and VIBE.

Task is supposed to be done by 11:00 am. When the sales floor has to help with the GM truck, which can go from 9-10:30 some days, there is not much time left for task. And on weeks when I have over 90 salesplans due, it makes getting things done difficult. Even when you begin the workload the week before, it's still difficult to get it done. There is no such thing as a back-up to help the sales floor with their pulls or salesplans/ adjacencies. The GSTL can call for help.

 

[ProtecttheAssets]

Plano/Pricing TL have it the hardest, and then logistics down the line after that. Ever increasing workload and not enough time 🙂 People who have mentioned AP as easiest probably have not worked it. You get paid more as APTL for a reason! Making court appearances and dealing with city council or police chiefs for community events requires a versed individual.

 

[CRHnATL]

HR TL not only has the easiest, less stressful TL position. But some might say the most powerful. Know one wants to piss off HR!:give_rose:

 

[RhettB]

HR TL not only has the easiest, less stressful TL position. But some might say the most powerful. Know one wants to piss off HR!:give_rose:

I thought this position was eliminated. At least it was in my district, 4-5 years ago at least now.

 

[commiecorvus]

HR TL not only has the easiest, less stressful TL position. But some might say the most powerful. Know one wants to piss off HR!:give_rose:

I thought this position was eliminated. At least it was in my district, 4-5 years ago at least now.

From what I can tell by posts it depends on the size and staffing of your store.
I'd almost see a future of them replacing ETL HRs with TL HR.

 

[CRHnATL]

HR TL not only has the easiest, less stressful TL position. But some might say the most powerful. Know one wants to piss off HR!:give_rose:

I thought this position was eliminated. At least it was in my district, 4-5 years ago at least now.

From what I can tell by posts it depends on the size and staffing of your store.
I'd almost see a future of them replacing ETL HRs with TL HR.

Although I am fairly new to the company. From what I can tell, my HR ETL (25 years w/Target) has the choice of having a HR TL or not. I don't think she likes doing the schedule which is why she ops for having a HR TL.

 

[bckrmbulldog]

i am a backroom/instocks tl and i am really looking forward to an "easy" day. but the day FLIES by and i truly enjoy my job. seriously.

 

[mrknownothing]

From what I've heard, we're losing our HR TL.

 

[KendallFire]

Plano/Pricing TL have it the hardest, and then logistics down the line after that. Ever increasing workload and not enough time 🙂 People who have mentioned AP as easiest probably have not worked it. You get paid more as APTL for a reason! Making court appearances and dealing with city council or police chiefs for community events requires a versed individual.

this. plano and flow are the hardest positions. sales floor and food ave being the easiest.

 

[pfreshdude]

I would say Consumables Tead Lead is one of the hardest, but I cant, because it doesnt exist anymore.

Alot of lower volume stores are phasing it out so now we have 1 Hardlines TL who is in charge of Electronics, Consumables and the rest of Hardlines right now and will be adding softlines sometime in the near future I believe. That TL is also a SR so I would say his job sucks and I cannot imagine the stress level.

 

[The Celtic]

I think this definitely depends on your store as well for example I know 1 store in my district only has 2 presentation TMs and that's going into this big grocery transition too so they would definitely have it the hardest but it depends on the culture of your store and leaders too as a CTL in pfresh I wouldn't say I have it the hardest all the time but some days I know why I smoke lol between vendors being steritech ready crazy sales with crazier guests going after those sales with every coupon the have in their pocket sometimes it can get overwhelming especially with a huge lack of support from leaders too I find myself coming into find food trucks that weren't ordered or pulls that weren't pushed from my days off not to mention never seeing my actual team to coach or praise them for that matter but I don't mind it if I came to work every day and everything was always happy go lucky nothing but sunshine rainbows and colorful bears I'd probably want to off myself I enjoy the challenges and the hostility every now and again

 

[Kompa]

I'd say FlowTL or PlanoTL. Is the front end get's back up, worst case is mad guest that will still wait in line at the end of the day. On the other hand, the Flow TL can't simply leave sections unpushed because it's a timed process. No product = No sales. Once a guest get's to the front, they may be mad at the GSTL or Salesfloor TL for having to wait, but they'll pretty much buy what they came for.

 

[copycopy]

Any front end position (Starbucks, food ave, Gstl) have it easy. If the Gstl needs the check lane endcaps filled they call the sales floor, they need back up they call the sales floor, they need someone to cover them so they can fool around on the computer in the tsc they call a sales floor tl to cover them. Yes I despise the front end team at my store! A worthless lazy bunch of airheads!

I need to move to your store. As GSTL I end up pulling most of my EXFs myself. We end up doing all the checklane pogs, except for new releases. I am about to do the second dollar spot set that Plano cannot get to. ON TOP OF running the lanes, pushing conversion and surveys, pulling cashiers to cover tsc, gsd, fa and sb.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Any front end position (Starbucks, food ave, Gstl) have it easy. If the Gstl needs the check lane endcaps filled they call the sales floor, they need back up they call the sales floor, they need someone to cover them so they can fool around on the computer in the tsc they call a sales floor tl to cover them. Yes I despise the front end team at my store! A worthless lazy bunch of airheads!

I need to move to your store. As GSTL I end up pulling most of my EXFs myself. We end up doing all the checklane pogs, except for new releases. I am about to do the second dollar spot set that Plano cannot get to. ON TOP OF running the lanes, pushing conversion and surveys, pulling cashiers to cover tsc, gsd, fa and sb.

My folks in electronics would take care of any outs on releases at the check lanes. Please ask them to help you out. Those sales are important to the store.

 

[paidtosmile]

Any front end position (Starbucks, food ave, Gstl) have it easy. If the Gstl needs the check lane endcaps filled they call the sales floor, they need back up they call the sales floor, they need someone to cover them so they can fool around on the computer in the tsc they call a sales floor tl to cover them. Yes I despise the front end team at my store! A worthless lazy bunch of airheads!

I need to move to your store. As GSTL I end up pulling most of my EXFs myself. We end up doing all the checklane pogs, except for new releases. I am about to do the second dollar spot set that Plano cannot get to. ON TOP OF running the lanes, pushing conversion and surveys, pulling cashiers to cover tsc, gsd, fa and sb.

My folks in electronics would take care of any outs on releases at the check lanes. Please ask them to help you out. Those sales are important to the store.

Our electronics TM's will usually get everything set up and are working on new releases by the time the GSA/TL gets in, so we just have to walk back there and grab everything from them (the reason being that we only have one cashier and the GSA until 9 or so, so we can't really leave the front)

 

[copycopy]

Any front end position (Starbucks, food ave, Gstl) have it easy. If the Gstl needs the check lane endcaps filled they call the sales floor, they need back up they call the sales floor, they need someone to cover them so they can fool around on the computer in the tsc they call a sales floor tl to cover them. Yes I despise the front end team at my store! A worthless lazy bunch of airheads!

I need to move to your store. As GSTL I end up pulling most of my EXFs myself. We end up doing all the checklane pogs, except for new releases. I am about to do the second dollar spot set that Plano cannot get to. ON TOP OF running the lanes, pushing conversion and surveys, pulling cashiers to cover tsc, gsd, fa and sb.

My folks in electronics would take care of any outs on releases at the check lanes. Please ask them to help you out. Those sales are important to the store.

Our electronics TM's will usually get everything set up and are working on new releases by the time the GSA/TL gets in, so we just have to walk back there and grab everything from them (the reason being that we only have one cashier and the GSA until 9 or so, so we can't really leave the front)

Presentation does all the new release sets for us

 

[CQ]

hands down, Logistics is the hardest (physically I mean). I come home limping, bleeding, scars, bumps, bruises. When I get home, I barely make it to my bed. I fall asleep anywhere.

 

[thetargetman]

I think it depends on the experience of the person and the store. I think Flow TL has it made.

 

[PricingMaster]

How does the Flow/Logistics TL have it made? If something's not right, even if it's not mine or my team's fault, who do you think gets the blame? I do, as the Logistics TL. When my ETL-Log is off, the whole logistics process falls under me, which includes Flow, Backroom (EM and Dayside), Instocks, Pricing/Presentation. I have to follow up with the Backroom/Instocks TL, the Presentation TL, and Price Accuracy TL when he is off. I'm keyed as the Logistics Key Carrier so I get all of the ETL emails from corporate because who has to be able to speak to every process in the event my ETL is away? The Logistics TL.