Hey bosses: Your employees think they can do a better job than you

Nearly 85 percent of Americans think they can outperform their manager, according to an international poll recently conducted by Monster.com.
This might mean a couple of things.
First, the assertion by an employee that he or she could do a better job managing the organization than whoever is currently boss could be symptomatic of plain old lack of respect. If this is the case, Monster career advice expert Mary Ellen Slayter said it might be time to make a change. “If you don’t respect your boss, it’s time to start exploring options for making a move. Perhaps you would like a lateral move, as you could be a valuable asset to another workplace, working under someone you find more inspiring. Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, maybe it’s time to start thinking about becoming the boss yourself,” she said.
Respect is cyclical. Upon closer analysis, the lack of respect some employees may have for their boss may in fact be a reaction to a perceived lack of respect from their bosses. According to a survey by the Harvard Business Review, being treated with respect has a profound effect on employee performance. Respondents who reported feeling respected by their leaders reported 55 percent more engagement, 56 percent better health and well-being, 89 percent greater enjoyment and job satisfaction, 92 percent greater focus and prioritization and 1.26 times more meaning and significance in their work, according to the survey.
More than half of employees — 54 percent — reported they don’t consistently get respect from their leaders. According to the Harvard Business Review, this can lead to less engagement, more turnover, less productivity and increased healthcare costs.
But believing you can outperform your boss isn’t always a sign of trouble.
Alternatively, employees who reported believing they could do a better job than their managers may instead have a stronger desire for a more significant sense of leadership, personal investment in the success of the organization and, importantly, commitment. In short: These are the people bosses should want on their team.
In this case, CEOs, other C-suiters and managers shouldn’t feel threatened by or condemn employees’ assertions that they could do a better job in their role. Rather, bosses should encourage them. A strong sense of leadership and drive among employees is fundamental for growing a successful organization, for if these traits aren’t embedded in the culture, there is no shared motivation to push the organization forward.