Fact Sheet

5 with Fiddelke: A Target Conversation

  • Updated 6:00am CT | Jun 26, 2025

When Chief Operating Officer Michael Fiddelke stepped into his role in January 2024, he highlighted Team Target’s part in helping him understand how best to serve our team and guests.

Headshot of Michael Fiddelke

One of the ways I’ve grown as a leader during my time at Target is upping my ratio of questions versus statements.

Michael Fiddelke Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Target

Michael is leveraging his listening game with “5 with Fiddelke: A Target Conversation,” where he connects with team members across the field and enterprise. In five questions, they explore topics ranging from their careers and leadership to celebrating innovation and experimentation.

Inspiration all around

In our latest conversation, Michael sits down with Mary Beth George, Target’s vice president of retail brand experience — the team that creates the retail magic in our stores. Mary Beth shares what’s kept her at the Bullseye for nearly 20 years, and how her team keeps innovating to inspire our guests.

Target is a purpose-driven retailer. And I knew that I could go somewhere and make an impact, and I was going somewhere where we’re not just selling stuff but creating experiences.

Mary Beth George Vice President, Retail Brand Experience, Target

Among the highlights:

  • The surprising places they find inspiration to make our guest experience extraordinary, and how it’s showing up in our stores this summer.
  • How constraints breed creativity — and lead to new approaches that are better for team members and guests.
  • The power of finding purpose.
  • Michael also shares what he’d like his Target legacy to be. (Hint: It involves Team Target.)

Listen to the audio-only version of the conversation here:

read full transcript

Previous episodes

Curious to hear more? Check out more conversations of Five with Fiddelke.

John Favilla: Lessons in Leadership

Michael catches up with John Favilla, who launched his Target journey more than 40 years ago, working his way up to district senior director in his hometown of Los Angeles and becoming our longest-tenured stores leader. Along the way, he developed more than 100 store directors, district senior directors and group vice presidents.

John joins Michael to share his decades-long journey at the Bullseye, including:

  • His early Target years and his classroom education as a trainer
  • Leadership lessons and the importance of celebrating small wins
  • His approach to successfully turning around a struggling store
read full transcript

John also discusses how he guided his team through the January 2025 California wildfires, and his “people first” approach.

Meanwhile, Michael shares about how he knows when to stay the course — or course correct — as COO. Check out the full audio-only conversation above.

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