Archived How does one become a TL?

[Ajax11]

The trick to being promoted:

Show up for all of your shifts on time / early
Get your job done
Shut up, don't gossip / piss and moan
Even if you hate the leader above you greet them when you see them, and a "yes sir/ ma'am I'll get right on it" go a long way.
If two+ leaders give you differing projects speak up about the difficulty of getting them both done in the amount of time and ask for prioritization (challenge upwards especially when leaders give conflicting tasks)
If your task can't get done in time offer to stay late until it's complete, don't just peace out with no notice when the schedule hits go home time.
If you have a problem don't just ask a vague question, offer solutions as well
Communicate, communicate, communicate an amazing TM that's invisible isn't going to wow someone when you ask for a promotion.

Some people despise being a leader but are great workers. You want to see a green department, look at those TM that have turned down promotions just because they don't like the extra responsibility.

 

[BlueSide]

I see it said here a lot that if your team lead or etl do not like you that you will never promote and that's not always the case. A long long time ago my ETL-GE didn't seem to care for me no matter what I did. I was very hardworking, always on time, always helping others, going above and beyond but she just did not like me. I tried for a GSA position and didn't even get an interview. I kept at it and she was moved to a different position and a Photo Specialist came up and I applied and got it. Now.. years later I am a Team Lead and I would say that that year of really pushing myself helped in at Spot and in my personal life. Don't give up just because someone in a leadership position doesn't care for you. I did every thing I could to prove myself and just because she didn't like me didn't mean I wasn't proving myself to others who would be there when she was gone.

Buuuuuttttt you were promoted after you weren't working for her anymore right?

 

[BigEyedPhish]

Lol. That's actually pretty good right there.

For all the people who wish to become tls, etls,dtls etc. I salute you. But don't discredit long term tms that aren't in those positions or interested in them. As you say some can't do the job, some shouldn't and some won't. Doesn't necessarily make them not valuable as long as they get their job done. Experienced tms can and do take pressure off of tls by contributing to safety and expediting tasks. In our present environment of fewer people doing more work it makes a big difference. (Lost the quote probably pasted it to my grocery list )

A worthwhile INTERNALLY PROMOTED TL/ETL would never think this. I honestly think this is one of Targets main Opportunities, as I believe the best ideas can come from people who have come from the system, understand the systems weaknesses/strengths, and then generating ideas from past positive/negative experiences.

To me it seems that most of the internal promotions have come from people who know how to CHEAT the system, and not necessarily improve upon it.

It also never hurts to be able to say that you have run through that SAME fire, you are currently asking a TM/TL to run through for you too.

 

[BigEyedPhish]

The trick to being promoted:

Show up for all of your shifts on time / early
Get your job done
Shut up, don't gossip / piss and moan
Even if you hate the leader above you greet them when you see them, and a "yes sir/ ma'am I'll get right on it" go a long way.
If two+ leaders give you differing projects speak up about the difficulty of getting them both done in the amount of time and ask for prioritization (challenge upwards especially when leaders give conflicting tasks)
If your task can't get done in time offer to stay late until it's complete, don't just peace out with no notice when the schedule hits go home time.
If you have a problem don't just ask a vague question, offer solutions as well
Communicate, communicate, communicate an amazing TM that's invisible isn't going to wow someone when you ask for a promotion.

Some people despise being a leader but are great workers. You want to see a green department, look at those TM that have turned down promotions just because they don't like the extra responsibility.

Pissing and Moaning with the TL's and sometimes, ETL's is one of my favorite past-times here.

 

[BigEyedPhish]

I am learning quickly...

If it's an inside promotion...

- Do the Opposite of Theodore Roosevelt's famous quote... "Walk loudly, and hide your small stick"

- Do your job good, but not TOO GOOD, where you may make yourself indispensable if you are trying to promote out of your current position.

- Make people believe you are good at your job, act like you are good at your job, and damnit, make the people who matter think you are good at your job, but not too good where training someone new, would be... my god so much effort.

This is not against any truly good TLs out there, there are some at my store, I am just explaining my observations of many recent promotions at my store.

 

[Flabbergasted]

Pissing and Moaning with the TL's and sometimes, ETL's is one of my favorite past-times here.

I used to always piss and moan with my favorite TL, until she left for a better job.