A Team Solutions Exclusive: From Technician To Team Lead - A Seamless Transition

As you may know by now Team Solutions is dedicated to growth and development for our employees. We launched our Growth Series to highlight how we are committed to providing our employees with all the resources and guidance they need to reach their full potential.

We realize that investing in our employees is essential to achieving greater organizational success. Encouraging growth among our employees by sharing insights and wisdom from those who have gone before them and their experiences empowers our team to make the most of their skills and abilities. 

At Team Solutions, we operate with intent - every decision and action is carefully considered to maximize the benefit for everyone involved.

This is why Team Solutions created an Interim Team Lead Trial Program to ensure this vital role and its essential responsibilities are optimally fulfilled. 

Becoming a TSD Team Lead is a great honor, and we pride ourselves on selecting the most capable and motivated individuals for these roles. An employee may be selected directly by a member of the  Executive Leadership team or be recommended for the opportunity by a supervisor or Team Lead. But the road to the title of Team Lead won’t be easy. Before an employee is promoted into the official role, they must participate in a 90-day interim Team Lead trial program.

During this period, the candidate is closely supported and evaluated by their direct supervisor, the HR Director, and the Executive Leadership Team. Team Solutions invests both time and resources in the potential Team Lead during this trial period to deliver the best outcome for the employee, the work center, and the organization.

The Interim Program was developed roughly about a year ago when Executive Leadership realized that some employees excel in ways that do not include the management of other people. Some people are happier becoming subject matter experts or managing a specific process or system. 

Team Solutions HR Director, Melissa Parziale shared with us that there are a variety of ways for an employee to advance their position at TSD and that managing people doesn’t have to be the answer for everyone. According to Melissa, the Interim Team Lead role helps the leadership team determine whether or not the Team Lead role is the best fit for the individual. 

“The Interim Team Lead Plan allows us to take our time, offer coaching, and give the employee an opportunity to try on the role with structured feedback and guidance along the way.”  

A successful Interim Team Lead trial ends when all involved parties unanimously agree that the employee has met all objectives and can formally graduate the program into the black scrubs that signify official Team Lead status here at TSD.

Now that we've understood why Team Solutions created an Interim Program, let’s explore how an employee can transition into this program.

Being appointed to The Interim Team Lead position is an esteemed accomplishment at TSD. Employees must demonstrate performance excellence, commitment, and dedication to be considered for the opportunity.  

Prior to entering into the Interim Team Lead role, employees are required to create and participate in an individualized growth plan to further hone any pre-existing tasks and skills.  This gives the candidate's direct supervisor an opportunity to tie up any loose ends with the employee's foundational knowledge that may impede their success in the program.  This allows the employee to focus on their leadership skills during the 90-day interim period as they will be - for all intents and purposes - the acting Team Lead over the work center during the trial period.

They are reviewed every 30, 60, and 90 days by their direct supervisor in a variety of categories such as Time Management, Organizational Philosophy, Communication,  Growing their team, Controlling Their Environment, and Leadership Skills.  Once an evaluation is submitted, HR will schedule an in-person meeting with the Interim Team Lead and their supervisor. This meeting will give the leadership team a chance to listen to the employee’s concerns, answer their questions and provide feedback and guidance to help them reach their objectives for the next evaluation period.

We are excited to introduce two of our most recent Interim Team Leads in our Shipping and Receiving Work Center and our Milling Work Center: Alex Avalos and TJ Castelow! 

After successfully completing their first 60 days in the program, these interim Team Leads are now in the final stages of the transition to becoming official TSD Team Leads. We wanted to uncover how this journey has been for them and gain valuable feedback on the program they’ve been through thus far.

TJ Castelow shared how, at the beginning of this program, he felt nervous and anxious—in a good way. There was an immense amount of pressure, but he was determined to excel. “Now, 60 days in, I feel I have grown, and every day gets better, I feel I have made tremendous self-discovery.” TJ has been working hand in hand with Justin Brewer, 3-D Print Team Lead, and shares he has guided him on how to become managerial. “I can rely on the support from him and other team leads to find the answers I need if I ever need help or am struggling with anything.”

Going through the transition of becoming an Interim Team Lead, TJ has had to adapt to the various responsibilities required. However, with the help of Justin, he has been able to figure out how to run the department. Justin has been his coach in this process, often providing answers to challenging questions and offering guidance as to how TJ should be leading his team.

Alex Avalos recalls the surprise of being chosen to be an Interim Team Lead only 6 months after joining Team Solutions, saying, "When I first heard upper management had identified me, I was nervous but after talking with Elisha DeFranco, the Scheduling Team Lead, it made me feel excited about the role."

“I can go to Elisha for anything and feel that support which has helped with my comfortability and growth with the company. I have never felt that support until I joined Team Solutions. They see me as a person.”

Watching their growth firsthand, Melissa shares how much Alex and TJ have grown over these first 60 days.  She shares that, “in 60 days, they have both gone from being eager and uncertain to confident, well-respected members of the management team here at Team Solutions” She is happy to share that they are both holding their own and establishing themselves as both subject matter experts in their fields and leaders within the organization.

She explains that some of that comes from leaning in on their supervisor and other available resources when they need guidance. But mostly, it's being unafraid to run toward problems to help solve them rather than away from them. She goes on to praise their attitude, highlighting how enthusiastic they are to learn and take in feedback, as well as how driven they are to improve their own performance and the functionality of the work centers they oversee.

TJ is confident in his abilities as he looks forward to his progression to Team Lead, exclaiming, “I'm feeling confident in my preparation for the upcoming evaluation. I understand the areas I need to grow in and I'm already taking the steps to do so. I'm very proud of how the error rates in the Milling room have been falling but I want to continue to find a way or system to improve efficiency and productivity.

Alex expresses that she is currently striving to gain more insight into her department. She is working on strengthening her relationship with the couriers and ensuring that cohesive communication is established and maintained so they are all on the same page. After achieving this, Alex looks forward to continuing to advance her position within the organization.

As HR Director, Melissa says she feels privileged to be involved in the entire process of these programs, from selecting the candidates to helping them realize their potential and eventually watching them flourish, “It makes me feel proud as I watch more and more of our people realize and tap into their own potential and achieve their professional and personal goals. It’s a gift I get to experience time and time again here at Team Solutions, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”

Watching a new round of employees go through this program excites previous Team Leads who were once in their shoes. Janelle Guichard, Finishing Team Lead, is thrilled to see a new round of employees embarking on the same Interim Team Lead program that she went through herself. As a result, she can draw on her own personal experiences and provide guidance and support. "Don't be afraid to say you don’t understand something or want to learn more about a subject,” said Janelle. “Never be afraid to ask questions!”

Alex and TJ can now use their experience to guide the next group of ambitious individuals participating in the Interim Program. Alex is highly impressed with the program, believing that the 90-day timeline is on point. She attests to the fact that she has thoroughly benefitted from the experience. Prior to starting the program, she had only a basic knowledge of the Shipping and Receiving work center, but now feels ready to run the entire department. At any point during her training, Alex knew she had a variety of resources where she could get advice and support from knowledgeable Team Leads and subject matter experts.

TJ shares his experience with the Interim Program, stating that for every challenge faced, there is an answer, you just have to go to the right person and use your resources to your benefit. “Just because something was right at first or done a certain way doesn't mean that’s the way it has to be. Things constantly change in this industry, so it's important to embrace change.”

We are excited to follow this journey with our Interim Team Leads and to welcome them to the Team Solutions management team! We are confident that they will utilize the skills and knowledge they have gained during the Interim Team Lead program and achieve greatness in their positions.