New survey reveals 40 per cent of workers think they’re better than the boss

MORE and more workers believe they deserve a promotion — and that they are doing a far better job than their superiors.

ALMOST 40 per cent of workers believe they can do a better job than their bosses, according to a 10,000-person survey conducted by workplace culture site Comparably.

“It’s not necessarily that these people believe that their managers have fallen down on the job. It’s just that this group of workers, especially millennials, are certain that they are entitled to promotions and that they can best their bosses,” Comparably co-founder and chief executive Jason Nazar said.

“Maybe they can, maybe they can’t do a better job,” workplace therapist Brandon Smith said. “But that doesn’t mean you should go maverick.

“If you went to your boss’ boss to make a case for yourself, the first thing they would ask is whether you addressed the situation with your boss.”

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Aside from the obvious political implications, it might highlight your impatience, your understanding of how your company works and your sense of entitlement.

“Workers, especially less experienced workers, often get frustrated because things aren’t moving faster. What they are missing is that their boss has responsibilities that they don’t, including playing politics and navigating the organisation,” Mr Smith said.

One way to understand this is to look at your company as a whole, rather than just your role, suggests Chip Espinoza, co-author of Managing The Millennials.

He suggests that you ask yourself questions such as: What is the culture? Do people get promoted quickly? How fast are decisions made and implemented?

If you think you are going to change that, look around.

“The organisation shapes the individual more than the individual shapes it,” Espinoza said.

So if you want to get promoted, your best bet is to first figure out how your company works. “Befriend an older worker. Get a knowledge transfer,” he added, noting that every company is riddled with ambiguity and that learning how to deal with that is key to success.

Aligning yourself with your boss’ goals will go a long way too.

“Treat him as your number one customer,” Mr Smith said, noting that setting your manager up for success might help him get promoted and make you the obvious choice to be his successor.

“Be a boss promoter instead of a boss killer,” he added.

One way to get your boss’ job, especially if you really are more qualified for the role, is to “wait it out,” according to James McCrae, the author of Sh#t Your Ego Says.

But that doesn’t mean that you should sit there, twirling your thumbs in the meantime.

“Learn how to sell your ideas, because the best ideas in the world won’t matter if you can’t sell them to your team,” he said.

McCrae also counsels against an attitude that says: “My boss doesn’t know what he is doing. If I can’t have his job, I’m going to quit.”

If the manager truly does stink, he’ll eventually be weeded out, according to McCrae.

In the meantime, doing great work will put you in a good position when a replacement is needed.

“If you jump ship every time you think you are better than your boss, you won’t get anywhere, because you’ll always be starting over,” McCrae said.

This story originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission.

Originally published as New survey reveals 40 per cent of workers think they’re better than the boss