Thread regarding Target Corp. layoffs

How to be successful at TGT

I made the decision to call it quits after putting in 3 years and 3 promotions taking the "feedback" and dealing with the politics. Great professional learning experience over all and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Now, after having nearly a decade of corporate experience at various Fortune companies, I started to notice that the Bullseye "kool aid" had began to taste very sour as I found myself in weekly statuses and given feedback by my leaders who have less experience than I do around perceptions of being too "driven for results and execution focused, and that I really needed focus on taking ownership, celebrating my personal wins with the team, and identifying strategic priorities....Didn't yout hire me to do a job? Their lack of cultural competency and ignorance was a signifanct factor as to my decision to leave as not EVERYONE likes to hear themselves talk or feels comfortable "celebrating wins".I've gone back and forth with regards to posting on this site as a part of me has definitely moved on, however as I was new to the area and didn't have many personal connections, Target was my home and I made a small group of friends who I can call family. A few of whom are local to the MN and have never worked anywhere BUT Target. My advice is to get out there and see what other corporations and companies are like.:) now for shits and giggles I've created a list of what I had observed to be key factors in "How to be Successful at TGT". No offense to anyone as we all know "haters goin hate". Good luck to all and enjoy.

To be successful at Target you must:

*Be Obsessed with the Leadership Expectations aka Don't have an Opinion of your own EVER

*Have never worked at another company or (limited industry related experience outside oF target Unless you've gotten hired in at least a PG 19).

*Identify who to Brown Nose aka if they were to leave Target would maybe pursue a career in Politics

*Love "Strategy" projects and or Fluff Work

*Not all but many "born in MN" and have wanted to work at Target since birth

*Enjoy asking questions for the sake of asking questions to receive recognition / showing your commitment to winning

*Enjoy identifying "strategic priorities" aka finding ways to make things more complicated than they need to be

*Talk with the Target Up Speak aka everything sounds like a question-passive aggressive

*Get excited to lead or take on a Captainship- set up as many meetings and coffees as you can come up with a template and prepare to deliver your strategy.

*Love giving "Feedback" aka non constructive criticism/ passive aggressive communication, trying to show you have authority or know more than someone else

*Fast, Fun, Friendly aka Passive Aggressive again

*Say That's Fair/ Level Set

*Desire to be or have a "Mentor" aka be someone that is going to rat you out/or others( person you have been brown nosing)

*Get involved with well being initiatives aka don't get fat and try not to age

*Support diversity and inclusion initiatives: at least know there are other states outside of Minnesota

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| 691 views | | 12 replies (last March 8, 2015) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+AnuunsC

12 replies (most recent on top)

BS Feedback session at Target..Young 22 yo Supervisor: Katy, it has come to our attention that you were too loud on the floor last Friday during your break...TM Katy: What you talking about? I was just saying "Hi" to people on my way down to the cafeteria like other TMs, why am I being singled out?...Young 22 yo supervisor: We're not singling you out, but this is a warning, next time, I can terminate you...TM Katy: what, this was two Fridays ago? Huh?

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Post ID: @2334+AnuunsC

BLOODY SPOT ON! I am so effing sick of the FEEDBACK culture. Honestly, if all you ever did at target was give feedback, you would have a full time job and rise up the ranks - regardless of results! Leaders love to nit-pick their employees - employees always can't let their guards down - a small tiny error - effing leading provides the feedback. Let me focus on my job!!!

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Post ID: @1gXV+AnuunsC

Just dawned on me...I feel like Dennis Leary in the midst of the society from the movie Demolition Man (not the best movie I know).

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Post ID: @Iez+AnuunsC

Spot on... pretty much sums up my daily work life.

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Post ID: @gNP+AnuunsC

Oh my god did I write this?!?!

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Post ID: @2tp+AnuunsC

4 years total work in TTS and Merch, and I totally agree with this post. Morons in leadership positions trying to gain power and excluding people with leadership skills who really want to make an impact, create efficiency and add value. Too many failures during this period: RedRock/RedRX, Everest, Canada, Merch IQ, you name it. Millions dumped into the wrong strategies and putting the wrong people in leadership positions. Group Managers and Managers with total arrogance. How sick. Target is paying today for all the cumulative mistakes of the last 10 years. I hope Cornell brings a hatchet like other business leaders do and gets rid of all the non-essential and meaningless fat of this company, aka three-piece suits with their macchiato trying to look good.

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Post ID: @CA6+AnuunsC

Reminds me of a story from a year ago from an employee that was as spot on as it gets. Read it here: http://gawker.com/target-headquarters-in-desperate-need-of-help-says-e-1573101642

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Post ID: @l9a+AnuunsC

I swore I wouldn't post on this site but I have to say to the author of this post that you nailed it. And I'm not a hater, believe me, I'm a 30-years-of-service Company Woman. But that doesn't mean I don't see the good with the bad, and the description of the passive-aggressiveness, and the 'rising inflection' way of talking seems like a virus going through our population. My boss wonders why we don't take her seriously but it's because we can't tell if she's Asking or Telling - it all comes with a question mark. But in spite of that, I don't want to see her, or me, or any of my team, be asked to leave TGT before we choose to go. We did good work here.

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Post ID: @RPh+AnuunsC

This BS-management style is typical of people who got MBA degrees (or mentored by people with MBA) - and not just in retail industry. I think a lot of business schools are just churning out pointy-hair boss types (as in Dilbert cartoons).

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Post ID: @f5S+AnuunsC

This is spot on. Well said.

And, yes, there is life after the Bullseye and it's a happy, respectful, fulling life.

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Post ID: @SAx+AnuunsC

(Slow clap) Thank you for composing what I think is a perfect description of daily life inside the hive. I've struggled to convey to friends and family how backwards tgt seems to be in so many ways, and I think showing them this post is the closest I'll ever get to having them understand.

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Post ID: @tK5+AnuunsC

Most of this is pretty spot on, as one of those born in MN people that never worked anywhere else. I left TTS one year ago and it has been great! The 10 years at TGT set me up as a high performer at my new gig. Target changed so much in those 10 years. Good luck everyone, life has been much better for me since leaving.

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Post ID: @TcE+AnuunsC

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