Archived GSTL's and DTL visits

[bullseyekindaguy]

I know most TL's are expected to walk with the ETL during store visits.

But does the GSTL or should they remain at the lanes and ensure lines don't exceed 1+1? Additionally, does the DTL talk with the GSTL and what should the GSTL be prepared to speak about (other than converison) during a visit?

I'm asking because we have a new-in-role STL and I've heard the DTL visits more frequently with new STLs.

 

[redandkhaki]

none of our TL's walk with the DTL's and as a GSTL i would be shocked if they wanted me too. They want to see you speedweaving and helping guests and cashiers at the lanes.
My DTL always talks to me about conversion, top and bottom cashiers, Guest Service desk numbers, and what I'm doing to drive sales.

 

[dash11]

Im a CTL and I never have walked a DTL visit, or been asked to walk. Fine with me

 

[MrGSTLman]

Ideally you should remain at the lanes and speedweave because heaven forbid you have backups and more than 1+1 when your DTL is in the building.

This was a real point of contention with me in my GSTL days. I wanted to walk with the rest of the ETLs and TLs on visits, and I never got to because I had to stay and watch the lanes, and when I went for a SrTL position I was denied the position on the basis I didn't walk with the visits. Ever since that point, if I wanted to be noticed by our DTL (who knows me anyway considering he was my old STL when I first came to Target) I would immediately go to him when he came into the store and talk all about my workcenter's wins and opps. Over time I got to walk with him (I would have a GSA watch the lanes while I walked with the rest of the group), and recently got to do a complete walk on my own with a visitation team (I am in a different position now).

All I can say to that is tailor your message and deliver it however you can. It will definitely get you noticed if you want to move up.

 

[BusyBee]

At our store the STL walks with the DTL. All the TL's stay in their respective areas and sometimes walk their area with them if the DTL wants to know something. As GSTL I stay upfront and usually chat with him for a few minutes at the end and hope his eagle eyes don't find any big issues with the frontend. That's on normal DTL visits.

On larger visits, the district sometimes have someone to walk with me and sometimes they don't. When the VP Samir visited our store I walked with an DTL from Pittsburgh and several others pointed out things while they were walking up front.

 

[BusyBee]

Im a CTL and I never have walked a DTL visit, or been asked to walk. Fine with me

I know a few of our TL's actively try to hide from the DTL on visits. If they see him coming they remember there was something they had to do in the other direction. I can't run away so I stay busy unless I see my STL giving me that "come over here" look.

 

[bullseyekindaguy]

Im a CTL and I never have walked a DTL visit, or been asked to walk. Fine with me

I know a few of our TL's actively try to hide from the DTL on visits. If they see him coming they remember there was something they had to do in the other direction. I can't run away so I stay busy unless I see my STL giving me that "come over here" look.

Our STL and ETL-HR are big on Team Leads walking during DTL visits and the DTL will usually look to the TL to explain or speak to something. Thankfully, the ETL's are awesome at realizing when a team leader is saying too much or too little, and will jump when necessary.

If you're wondering how "big" they are on TL's joining the walk, we once had a drill in which one of the ETL's was told to find/alert TL's that a "visitor" was in the building and they were timed to see how fast they responded to the area in which the "visitor" was. At that point, the STL took turns drilling the TL's on metrics/sales/wins and opps to see how well they would have looked to the DTL.