How to go from TM to TL

Fix It said:
Commenting without reading other responses:

You can kill it everyday and be a good worker but you need to show that you can lead and manage TMs. Fill in the gaps where your current TL lacks, and give further direction to TMs when your TL didn’t. Do that without stepping on the TLs toes and communicate what you did to your TL. Kiss the SD’s ass a bit too because they’re where the line ends. I’d the SD don’t like you then you’re SOL unless you apply to another store. Good luck
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It's been my experience that, unless there are brand new TMs who are looking to the old-timers for guidance, giving further direction to fellow TMs without stepping on their toes is tough to accomplish. It's never gone over well when I've seen it in action.
 
MarketMayhem said:
Nope no interview. Just sat down in the SD office and he said what I mentioned before. When I brought it up a few days ago they did say they would make it a goal to have me "signed off" by November of next year
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By that response, you’re better off looking elsewhere for opportunities. That’s too long and there’s no guarantee you’ll get it by next November.
 
You might actually fare better getting hired for a TL-type position at another company. While this is ASANTS, I'm seeing very little promotion-from-within at the stores in our local area. Depending on what type of store you would like to work in, and whether you have a BA degree or similar, you might be a very attractive candidate for a more-responsible job at places like Kohl's, Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Nordstrom, Costco Wholesale or Walmart. If you are still working at Target, as an external candidate you have a fair amount of room for salary negotiation at other companies, this is the time to make up for the wimpy pay raises which seem to be common for many Target TMs.
 
While I believe Target's approach of pursuing external hires for leadership positions may well be successful, I couldn't help sharing this video of the current Walmart CEO John Furner, who literally began his career 27 years ago working at the Garden Center in a Bentonville Walmart. Promote-from-within hasn't prevented Walmart from becoming a hugely successful company ($339 billion market capitalization). On his first day as Walmart U.S. CEO, John Furner took a trip down memory lane at Store 100 in Bentonville, AR
 
jackandcat said:
While I believe Target's approach of pursuing external hires for leadership positions may well be successful, I couldn't help sharing this video of the current Walmart CEO John Furner, who literally began his career 27 years ago working at the Garden Center in a Bentonville Walmart. Promote-from-within hasn't prevented Walmart from becoming a hugely successful company ($339 billion market capitalization). On his first day as Walmart U.S. CEO, John Furner took a trip down memory lane at Store 100 in Bentonville, AR
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tbf Brian Cornell is our first CEO to actually be hired from outside of the company
 
I'm one of the most recent promotions at my store. I have a 20 year background in ETL level management and it took a full year to promote.

They did interview at least 3 other internal candidates. In previous employment I have made the promotion choice on about 8 TLs. Here's what I looked for:

1. Do you have good retail sense? Do you make sensible decisions (push before price change, but price change gets done too.)

2. Can you keep your mouth shut? I cannot have a TL that violates confidentiality or gossips about their TMs to other TMs. I also will not promote someone that is close to someone they will oversee, either family or friends outside work, and especially not if they are outwardly dating someone in the store.

3. Do you get your work done well? You can't get your team to work fast if you can't work fast.

4. Do you have ideas on improving your area? Something simple like "there was a bunch of outdate in the cooler, so I'm going to go through it after I finish today's truck" shows good thinking and prioritization skills.

5. Are you able to handle guests? If you can't be bitched out by a guest without losing your temper or having an anxiety attack, you will probably have trouble handling hard conversations and write ups.
 
I was promoted from TM to TL just 6 months after I started.

You just need to prove yourself. In 2 years I’ve never called out, been late, missed a punch, hit compliance, complained about hours etc. Maintain a positive attitude and work hard. If you have issues talk to the SD about it. No one likes someone who gossips. Have negative things to say? Talk to the SD. Don’t be negative around fellow TMs. It drives down productivity. Stay late when asked. Be flexible and willing to work wherever you need. Ask questions and ask for feedback.
 
Team Leaders need to be disbanded. They do nothing but yell on the walkie and tell you to do their job which is set up end caps and price changes. Target needs to overhaul their hierarchy. And let team members take charge of their own departments. It's so dumb to hear managers on the walkie tell a TL to ask a TM to do a certain job. Then the TL calls for you to do this job. We heard you guys talk. TLs are nothing more than lip service for managers. Literally all they do is tell u to do this, do that. After awhile ur life becomes a routine and TLs are worthless extra pay grade that should just go on TMs who work harder.
 
PeeFRESH said:
Team Leaders need to be disbanded. They do nothing but yell on the walkie and tell you to do their job which is set up end caps and price changes. Target needs to overhaul their hierarchy. And let team members take charge of their own departments. It's so dumb to hear managers on the walkie tell a TL to ask a TM to do a certain job. Then the TL calls for you to do this job. We heard you guys talk. TLs are nothing more than lip service for managers. Literally all they do is tell u to do this, do that. After awhile ur life becomes a routine and TLs are worthless extra pay grade that should just go on TMs who work harder.
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It's so annoying having a TL tell someone on the walkie to do something that they literally do every shift - makes me want to say "Really? Is that what I'm supposed to do? Thanks for the head's up, it's not like I close every night and do the same thing every night, so THANK YOU!" 🙄
 
I see a lot of complaints about team leaders here but consider my scenario: over 20 years of retail experience, almost a decade of it with Spot starting around 16 years ago. Came back after many years away and I have to build a whole team. The only people who have been around any length of time are fitting room attendants. The dbos when I started were behind on price change, had salvage hanging in the backroom, BRLA in the red, no one knew how to tie or set pogs, pull price change etc and the longest standing had been there around 6 months. With seasonal hiring I now have a bit over 30 in my A&A crew, 75% are under their 90 days. Many of those 75% are starting this week or have maybe been here 2 weeks. Leadership is absolutely necessary. Not all of us are sipping Starbucks and waving around reports. I'm a very hands on person. I was lucky to start at Target ages ago with other leads who had already been there a decade or more and I can only hope to be that consistent source of information and motivation for my team. I'm sorry for those that have leaders who are not playing an active role in the success of their stores other than just directing.
 
I agree that all team leads are ETEL‘s just sit in the office are at Starbucks drinking coffee. People need to realize that if you don’t show that you can do the job you’re never going to get the job. If you want to advance talk to your team lead in your ETL about it. They’ll tell you what they expect
You just show that you can do. I have several add the kids in that apartment that I and the other team lead our mentoring to move up some are willing to take charge and lead in others always say that’s not what I get paid for. Who do you think is going to get promoted first or at all ha haYou just show that you can do. I have several add the kids in my apartment that I and the other team lead our mentoring to move up some are willing to take charge and lead in others always say that’s not what I get paid for. Who do you think is going to get promoted first or at all?
 
happygoth said:
It's so annoying having a TL tell someone on the walkie to do something that they literally do every shift - makes me want to say "Really? Is that what I'm supposed to do? Thanks for the head's up, it's not like I close every night and do the same thing every night, so THANK YOU!" 🙄
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I don't know your specific circumstances, but I had this exact complaint brought up to me once and I just wanted to share my point of view. Sorry if it doesn't apply!

You must have some co-workers that literally just start walking around if they aren't given direction, right? To circumvent that we simply give very clear directions to everybody what's expected of them, which in turn makes it a lot easier to write up coachings and CCA's for performance for those said people if they still choose to goof off.

Example:

"I told you when you were zoning in Toys tonight to make sure you were paying attention to the front and back endcaps, it's now closing time and they look as if they have not been touched - What happened? I was very clear with my expectations for tonight"

This is a lot easier to put into workday and have it stick than saying "they were assigned toys and it didn't look good when I left."

You might think that makes sense but you know what you're good for, and we get that, it's simply much easier to do it this way than single out TM's over the walkie with specific instructions and not others, there are those few who will accuse management of "Targeting" so it's just a safer route.
 
Marcellow said:
I got the same exact thing to be honest. The thing is they already have who they want in mind for any openings so you’ll want to kiss up to the ETLs and have them know who you are so when another opening comes around they say they want you as their TL.
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This is exactly what I did. We shall see how it pays off tomorrow during my interview!
 
I have been in my store for over a decade. In that time frame I have seen 5 or 6 team members actually be promoted to team leader. I have seen one team leader be promoted to ETL. If you are over 25, I doubt any promotion will happen. Target wants young, fresh out of college people.
 
happygoth said:
It's so annoying having a TL tell someone on the walkie to do something that they literally do every shift - makes me want to say "Really? Is that what I'm supposed to do? Thanks for the head's up, it's not like I close every night and do the same thing every night, so THANK YOU!" 🙄
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Prime example of exactly why you’re getting that heads up every night. Maybe step up your game... go, check in with that leader and say... hey, same expectations as last night? You never know that leader might just say... THANKYOU! Thinking to themselves.. wow! That’s one less team member I have to track down and call over walkie to make sure they have shown up for their shift. You should be thankful you aren’t getting called every .02 seconds with a status of where and what you are working on. And on that note TARGET and the rest of worlds business owners have ALOT OF dead weight. But, I know some of these complained about team leaders are literally the only reason some are still employed
 
Priceslasher said:
Prime example of exactly why you’re getting that heads up every night. Maybe step up your game... go, check in with that leader and say... hey, same expectations as last night? You never know that leader might just say... THANKYOU! Thinking to themselves.. wow! That’s one less team member I have to track down and call over walkie to make sure they have shown up for their shift. You should be thankful you aren’t getting called every .02 seconds with a status of where and what you are working on. And on that note TARGET and the rest of worlds business owners have ALOT OF dead weight. But, I know some of these complained about team leaders are literally the only reason some are still employed
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Not at all the situation here. I'm only speaking of one particular ETL who rarely closes, and that's just their MO. And they even more rarely give me any direction. The regular Closing TL knows if I'm on they do not have to worry about my area. The most they do is give me a "How's it going?" if we happen to pass each other.
 
happygoth said:
It's so annoying having a TL tell someone on the walkie to do something that they literally do every shift - makes me want to say "Really? Is that what I'm supposed to do? Thanks for the head's up, it's not like I close every night and do the same thing every night, so THANK YOU!" 🙄
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Which isn’t leadership at all. I actually find it embarrassing for the TM on the receiving end for the whole store to hear.
 

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