# Advice for balancing coaching/training TMs with tasks?



## swordfishtrombon (Jul 20, 2022)

Basically the title. BTC is peak for my store, which means increased freight and a lot of new team members. On top of that one of my fellow GM TLs has covid and another is on vacation, plus our specialty ETL just quit so my ETL has been spending more time in specialty. This means sometimes I'm the only TL over 27 team members. Obviously with so many of them being new that means pretty much the only thing I'm doing is following up to make sure they're being productive and doing things correctly. I've tried setting timers on my phone, doing vehicle counts every hour. I just can't keep up with all of them AND do all the little side tasks my ETL and SD expect me to do in a day. For example - my SD will expect me to be keeping up with every team member AND be running a double AND be the only leader over fulfillment AND remerch entire aisles by myself. I'm working 12+ hour days and still not getting it done. And then I'm being coached at the end of the week for not getting admin (planning, PC summary, TM training plan, desired hours survey) completed. I don't want to sound like I'm making excuses but I genuinely think what is being expected of me is unrealistic. And then on top of that I'll come up with a plan to delegate and get stuff done and my SD will come behind me and micromanage all my TMs and tell them to do random tasks, then get mad at me for them rolling truck or not completing pulls when he was the one who pulled them in the first place. Is this normal? Plus my SD will do something to "help" me like remerch something, but will then leave a big mess for me to clean up - 3 tiers worth of shit, pallets to backstock, whole aisles not priced - then get mad that it takes a while to clean up the mess or that the backroom is a mess in the first place when HE'S the one setting an example to team members that it's ok to leave half finished projects and the backroom a mess. I'm really close to just leaving my keys on his desk and walking out of the building.


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## Hardlinesmaster (Jul 21, 2022)

swordfishtrombon said:


> Basically the title. BTC is peak for my store, which means increased freight and a lot of new team members. On top of that one of my fellow GM TLs has covid and another is on vacation, plus our specialty ETL just quit so my ETL has been spending more time in specialty. This means sometimes I'm the only TL over 27 team members. Obviously with so many of them being new that means pretty much the only thing I'm doing is following up to make sure they're being productive and doing things correctly. I've tried setting timers on my phone, doing vehicle counts every hour. I just can't keep up with all of them AND do all the little side tasks my ETL and SD expect me to do in a day. For example - my SD will expect me to be keeping up with every team member AND be running a double AND be the only leader over fulfillment AND remerch entire aisles by myself. I'm working 12+ hour days and still not getting it done. And then I'm being coached at the end of the week for not getting admin (planning, PC summary, TM training plan, desired hours survey) completed. I don't want to sound like I'm making excuses but I genuinely think what is being expected of me is unrealistic. And then on top of that I'll come up with a plan to delegate and get stuff done and my SD will come behind me and micromanage all my TMs and tell them to do random tasks, then get mad at me for them rolling truck or not completing pulls when he was the one who pulled them in the first place. Is this normal? Plus my SD will do something to "help" me like remerch something, but will then leave a big mess for me to clean up - 3 tiers worth of shit, pallets to backstock, whole aisles not priced - then get mad that it takes a while to clean up the mess or that the backroom is a mess in the first place when HE'S the one setting an example to team members that it's ok to leave half finished projects and the backroom a mess. I'm really close to just leaving my keys on his desk and walking out of the building.


Sad, but true.


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## MrT (Jul 21, 2022)

Definitely too much work and definitely not surprised.


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## lucidtm (Jul 21, 2022)

You're not wrong for feeling the way you do. I'd look for another job ASAP and send my HRBP an email after I was officially gone.


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## Noiinteam (Jul 21, 2022)

And what is your sd doing while you’re busting your ass. Sitting at their desk doing their coach prep? Wow you are overworked and under appreciated.


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## jenna (Jul 21, 2022)

That's too much.  No, it's not normal - the amount of workload.

I have seen "leaders" that "help" and make a huge fucking mess.  Doesn't make it right.

I am sorry.
-
My advice?  Get a new job ASAP.


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## swordfishtrombon (Jul 23, 2022)

Noiinteam said:


> And what is your sd doing while you’re busting your ass. Sitting at their desk doing their coach prep? Wow you are overworked and under appreciated.


He does work hard when he's on the salesfloor and he definitely spends more time on the floor than my old SD. He may spend a couple of hours on the floor a day and if it's his weekend rotation he spends the whole weekend on the floor/supporting front end. But he works his 8-10 hour shifts then leaves meanwhile my ETL is working 60+ hours a week and so are me and my other GM TLs when we're not getting hounded about OT. I don't mind working hard but I barely have time to coach my team. 

I think the real kicker this week was getting coached for not getting unscheduled doubles finished plus visuals and out of stocks. What really put it into perspective is two of what I would consider our top performing team members weren't able to come clean on truck, much less do visuals or pulls, without staying past their scheduled shifts. If the top performers can't even meet expectations then what does that mean for the rest of the team? I can coach as much as I want but you're always going to have a range of work ethics. I can push a team member but if they're not somewhat self motivated they're never going to be as productive as those top performers who do a good job because they want to do a good job.


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## Inboundbeast (Jul 24, 2022)

This is frustrating. Hang in there and do your best. Maybe start by taking note of what you are accomplishing each day and when you get coached by said SD for not completing all aspects of your job lay down x, y, and z that you completed for the day/week and ask for their “superior” advice as to elevate that and meet their expectations..

I wouldn’t be going above and beyond for this boss though, that’s my 2nd piece of advice.

All in all, your SD is failing at leading in a few different aspects so your gaps in my opinion are their direct reflection.


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## Avocadioo (Jul 24, 2022)

Find someone who can do the job the right way. Stop picking favorites hahahaha


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## commiecorvus (Aug 1, 2022)

Avocadioo said:


> Find someone who can do the job the right way. Stop picking favorites hahahaha



*Dude, what does this even mean and who are you referring to?
We asked you to make sure your posts had some kind of context to them so people aren't going WTF?! every time you post.
Don't do this anymore.*


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## BurgerBob (Aug 3, 2022)

commiecorvus said:


> *Dude, what does this even mean and who are you referring to?
> We asked you to make sure your posts had some kind of context to them so people aren't going WTF?! every time you post.
> Don't do this anymore.*


*agreement *


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## Avocadioo (Aug 3, 2022)

BurgerBob said:


> *agreement *


why keep a person in noncon sort when they aren’t doing 100% and have scan gaps but send me to Depal? My LWW’s on B2-OB don’t have the slightest idea how to be leads or staff lmao. It’s a shit show and I would be embarrassed for my operating manager, SOM, and PC. All these new OM’s don’t have the slightest idea but all the OM‘s who have been with Target for a while know what’s up.* B2 is a shit show. Idc tho *


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## Hal (Aug 3, 2022)

Everyone thinks B2 is a shitshow. And A1 and A2 and B1. Outbound is a shitshow. Along with Warehouse. So is T-556, and 3804 and 579.

What other people are doing has no impact on your development. If you're so worried about what everyone else is doing you'll never go anywhere.

Focus on yourself and what you need to do. How do you make yourself better? Go to school. Sign up for backup positions. Apply for other roles. Go to E&F and try that out.


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## Avocadioo (Aug 3, 2022)

Hal said:


> Everyone thinks B2 is a shitshow. And A1 and A2 and B1. Outbound is a shitshow. Along with Warehouse. So is T-556, and 3804 and 579.
> 
> What other people are doing has no impact on your development. If you're so worried about what everyone else is doing you'll never go anywhere.
> 
> Focus on yourself and what you need to do. How do you make yourself better? Go to school. Sign up for backup positions. Apply for other roles. Go to E&F and try that out.


I applied for LWW Cap and TS. No back ups.


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## Hardlinesmaster (Aug 3, 2022)

Avocadioo said:


> We are all friends so I don’t care I just wish I had a slack so I can talk to you guys. Run an audit trail on me. I know tricks Artemis doesn’t even know. I did Rework for a long time and experimented myself


Listen to @Hal please.


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## 2muchXPasTL (Oct 21, 2022)

swordfishtrombon said:


> Basically the title. BTC is peak for my store, which means increased freight and a lot of new team members. On top of that one of my fellow GM TLs has covid and another is on vacation, plus our specialty ETL just quit so my ETL has been spending more time in specialty. This means sometimes I'm the only TL over 27 team members. Obviously with so many of them being new that means pretty much the only thing I'm doing is following up to make sure they're being productive and doing things correctly. I've tried setting timers on my phone, doing vehicle counts every hour. I just can't keep up with all of them AND do all the little side tasks my ETL and SD expect me to do in a day. For example - my SD will expect me to be keeping up with every team member AND be running a double AND be the only leader over fulfillment AND remerch entire aisles by myself. I'm working 12+ hour days and still not getting it done. And then I'm being coached at the end of the week for not getting admin (planning, PC summary, TM training plan, desired hours survey) completed. I don't want to sound like I'm making excuses but I genuinely think what is being expected of me is unrealistic. And then on top of that I'll come up with a plan to delegate and get stuff done and my SD will come behind me and micromanage all my TMs and tell them to do random tasks, then get mad at me for them rolling truck or not completing pulls when he was the one who pulled them in the first place. Is this normal? Plus my SD will do something to "help" me like remerch something, but will then leave a big mess for me to clean up - 3 tiers worth of shit, pallets to backstock, whole aisles not priced - then get mad that it takes a while to clean up the mess or that the backroom is a mess in the first place when HE'S the one setting an example to team members that it's ok to leave half finished projects and the backroom a mess. I'm really close to just leaving my keys on his desk and walking out of the building.


Have you ever gotten along with your SD and leadership team? Do you feel as if your workload is intentionally too much on purpose. As a way to cause you to fail? 

I'm only asking because this scenario feels very close to the hell I've been put through for the better part of of the last 5 years. Which is how long ago it was when my store got a new SD. They were clearly trying to term or runoff all the existing leaders. So that they could create a leadership team that they wanted to pick. I was constantly scrutinized over everything I did. I was intentionally shorted team members to get my areas pushed or completed. Given twice as much area and responsibilities than the others. Consistently understaffed when I ran unload and then questioned why it took me so long with 3 people less than the other leader would get. I was treated poorly all the time. The SD would tell my team members to stock instead of RFID. Then would ask me the next day why my team didn't do RFID. Would tell the other leader to shoot up my transition pallets for stuff I just set. Then constantly harass me why the pallets wrre still in the steel and why I haven't gotten them down and worked yet. Which.. they also would stop the team members from getting them down like I asked them to do and tell them to leave it and do something else. It goes on and on eventually evolving into issuing CA's for a laundry lists of shit that was blatantly made up. It was absolutely hell every day..

My only saving grace was that I am on top of my shit and cornering me into these shitty situations. Actually made me even more on my shit. To the point that everything I did. I was doing properly according to the company guidelines. I was accomplishing 4 times over what the other lazy idiot TL's were doing. I also had some good relationships with thr team and HR. I also challenged a lot and made it a point to call out their mismanagement every chance it came up. The SD resigned shortly after I submitted a very lengthy report of stuff that was going on to the integrity. (Which is a joke of a process and is essentially just a way for the company to do risk assessments on the complaints to evaluate whether or not they would hold up in court)

But, they resigned before getting fired. I still never got anybody whithin the company to acknowledge what really happened. Yet they all acknowledged every aspect of my claims I blew the whistle on. But will not even comment about my situation. Which I assume is a legal problem for them to do so.

I'm about to switch to another district location. Which is the other half of my city area. Hoping it will allow me the options I had once before this SD ruined so much of my life over the past 5 years. 

My point is.. im wondering if you are experiencing similar treatment through unfair business practices and constant pressure over unrealistic goals as a way to force you out of the company. It's apparently a common issue from what I've noticed. If you truly don't feel that's the situation for you. Then, just look into transferring to another store. Because your SD is most likely a dumbass dick bitch who will drag you all through the mud and broken glass. While blaming you all for his mistakes or poor decision making. You don't want to be a part of that


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## Hardlinesmaster (Oct 22, 2022)

Welcome!
I had bad sd's too.


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## MrT (Oct 22, 2022)

It may seem like an SD doesn't have huge impact on the store to some people who think all they do is sit in there office and dont do actual day to day work, but one bad SD and you will know that they're the one that can single handedly break an entire store.


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## happygoth (Oct 22, 2022)

MrT said:


> It may seem like an SD doesn't have huge impact on the store to some people who think all they do is sit in there office and dont do actual day to day work, but one bad SD and you will know that they're the one that can single handedly break an entire store.


Absolutely.


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## busyzoningtoys (Oct 27, 2022)

swordfishtrombon said:


> Basically the title.


Don’t sacrifice your core role as a leader to make up for a lack of payroll/resources/productivity from your team. You’re only one person, and while you might be able to do the work of 3 TMs, unless you’re only 3 TMs worth short on resources, it won’t help enough to offset the price you pay for that time spent pushing instead of leading.

I’d say double down on training, developing, and coaching your team. Increase their productivity; if you can get 25% more out of 20 TMs, that’s 5 TMs worth more that can get done by that team.


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## Ashfromoldsite (Oct 27, 2022)

commiecorvus said:


> *Dude, what does this even mean and who are you referring to?
> We asked you to make sure your posts had some kind of context to them so people aren't going WTF?! every time you post.
> Don't do this anymore.*


I just have this person blocked. You don’t have to see the posts.


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## commiecorvus (Oct 27, 2022)

Ashfromoldsite said:


> I just have this person blocked. You don’t have to see the posts.



That's what I always recommend for board members if someone is driving them nuts.
It's not really an option for someone modding a board.
I read literally every post to keep track of what's going on.


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## WHS (Oct 27, 2022)

Hal said:


> Everyone thinks B2 is a shitshow. And A1 and A2 and B1. Outbound is a shitshow. Along with Warehouse. So is T-556, and 3804 and 579.
> 
> What other people are doing has no impact on your development. If you're so worried about what everyone else is doing you'll never go anywhere.
> 
> Focus on yourself and what you need to do. How do you make yourself better? Go to school. Sign up for backup positions. Apply for other roles. Go to E&F and try that out.


Listen.  I think we can all agree … fuck B1


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