Twenty-one percent of employees would fire their bosses if they could, says a recent poll conducted in the United States by Maritz Research. Frankly, I'm surprised the number isn't higher.

Everyone complains about their boss. They complain that their boss can't remember what they told them. That they take credit for their work, make stupid decisions, can't do their jobs and are rude and inconsiderate. The list goes on and on.

Workers don't hide their sentiments, either. They vent on Internet chat rooms and commiserate on humor websites, of which there are many.

I found a piece on one called Is Your Boss Dumb? with a list of really dumb quotes from real life so-called Dilbert-type managers including: "Teamwork is a lot of people doing what I say."

I found articles to help you know if your boss is an alien. Someone, somewhere put a lot of time into creating the list of "Differences Between You and Your Boss" that included: When you're out of the office, you're wandering around; when your boss is out of the office, he' s on business."

So, why don't more people want to fire their bonehead boss? I took an unofficial poll. Here's what folks said:

"Even though he can be a real pain, I respect the guy. He speaks his mind. He gets things done. I just wish he'd change on certain things. But I know it's not intentional."

"Basically, he's a nice guy. He's great with clients and patient - most days. Other times, I don't want to go near him. But I'm forgiving."

"He's incredible at sales. He works hard. But some nights, he goes home and dictates memos to everyone. He comes in the next day and has the secretary type them up and everyone has a memo in their box. We call them Rodagrams. Those days I want to fire him."

"I just want to restrict my boss from doing certain things. She should stick to what she's good at and stay away from everything else. I spend half my time fixing her mistakes."

"Every now and then she gets it right and that makes it bearable."

That's not to say that some bosses aren't incompetent or even abusive. Which may account for the 21% who see no redeeming qualities in their bosses and want to fire them.

Employees sound a lot like bosses discussing their workers. If you've ever received a decent performance review, you know what I' m talking about. Your boss cites areas in which you're doing well, then goes on to list the areas that need improvement - which you remember most.

So why not share your thoughts with your boss on how he or she could improve? Too risky? 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 offer criticism, think through what you'll say and how you' ll say it, she says.

For one thing, make sure your boss is receptive to criticism. Does he openly solicit criticism and act on valid points? Is he open to change? Only criticize your boss for something he is doing that affects your work - not for actions that don't impact your performance.

That way, you're sharing helpful data that relates to both your jobs. This puts your boss in a face-saving position, which lets him evaluate the information you're supplying, not to have to accept or reject a criticism.

Keep in mind that people are more receptive to information when they hear it as a request rather than a demand. That includes your boss. You're also showing your respect by asking instead of telling.

Even though it might be stressful and potentially risky, if your boss has redeemable qualities, you can take the lead to improve the relationship. It can be much more effective and productive than surfing workplace humor sites. Although maybe not as much fun.

© by Andrea Kay