So you’ve got a boss who makes your work more difficult. She’s chronically late getting you information you need. Or she has made bad decisions, doesn’t keep you informed or hasn’t a clue on how to pick out the new computer system for your department. Do you keep your mouth shut? Or do you dare criticize your boss?

Most people think that if they criticize their boss, there will be negative repercussions, and therefore, zip their lip. While it’s true that there can be a backlash occasionally, it’s the exception. Most bosses - especially effective ones - welcome criticism from their subordinates, says Hendrie Weisinger, author of The Power of Positive Criticism (Amacom.)

What bosses don’t like is being embarrassed, threatened or undermined. So if you are going to offer criticism to your boss, it’s crucial to think through what you’ll say and how you’ll say it, she says. First, apply these ground rules:

Make sure your boss is receptive to criticism. You can’t know for sure, but you can get a feel for his attitude. Does he openly solicit criticism and act upon the valid points? Is he open to change, are policies flexible or are they basically kept the same? Is he accessible, or do you need a formal meeting to get together?

• Make sure you’ve got the right person. The boss you’re criticizing should be your immediate supervisor, not someone you don’t directly report to. (You need to use your own boss to carry your message upward.)

• Only criticize your boss for something he is doing that affects your work. Don’t criticize him for actions that don’t impact your performance or if you’re not involved in the project.

• Know what you’re talking about. Most of the time, your boss doesn’t expect you to criticize him. So it’s important that you validate your criticism by gathering and analyzing data if it’s available, documenting how your boss’ action affect your work and if possible, consulting with others.

If you’ve decided that your boss is open to criticism, keep in mind these two techniques that Dr. Weisinger offers:

• Present your criticism as important and valid information. Don’t sound like a know-it-all and present it as you, the subordinate, know what’s best. Instead, present yourself as sharing helpful data that relates to both your jobs. This puts your boss in a face-saving position, allowing him to evaluate the information you’re supplying, not to have to accept or reject a criticism.

• Strategically think through how your boss can help you. What do you want to communicate? What do you want to change? What solutions can you offer? Then phrase the criticism as a request for help.

"Instead of pointing out what your boss is not doing right or what she needs to be doing, explain to her that you are having a problem and don’t know how to solve it. Of course, from your perspective, the problem is your boss’ behavior, but to express it as such will probably elicit your boss’ defensiveness." Hopefully, your boss will recognize the only way to help you is to change her own behavior.

Dr. Weisinger says you can expect good results because people tend to be more receptive to information when they hear it as a request rather than a demand. You are communicating that you respect your boss because you’re asking instead of telling, which increases your boss’s receptivity. You also confirm that he is your superior, and that’s an ego boost. You let him know he is needed, and you believe in his ability to achieve results. You tap into his need to be needed and need to achieve - which are powerful incentives.

So if you have an inkling to tell your boss that he’s a pea-brained knucklehead, restrain yourself. But don’t give up hope, either. To make a change, it will take strategic thinking and choosing your timing wisely and your words carefully.

© by Andrea Kay