Wouldn't it be nice if your boss
had to run for re-election?

Wouldn't it be nice if your boss had to run for re-election?

I'm serious here. Since employees have no say in their employer's evaluation, the burden is never on them to prove to their constituents that they're the best man or woman for the job. There are no controversial issues on which to take a position, and no opponent, worthy or unworthy, to debate. And that, my fellow Americans, is an offense to democracy.

I'd certainly don a "Re-elect Blackwell" badge for my current boss who treats everyone fairly and allows us to be creative and get our work done with minimal interference. But looking back on my career, I'd have to say that he's only the second out of at least seven bosses who I would choose to put in office for a second-term.

Many bosses wouldn't even know how to run a campaign. They'd find a way to delegate the task to subordinates. So chances are, you'd end up as campaign manager for the very candidate you detest. And if you're like the average hard-working individual who wishes to remain employed, you'd do a bang-up job, sending him or her right back to the throne.

The exit interview, which is typically held after an employee resigns, has long served as an opportunity for employees to sound-off. The problem is, it's usually too late since the employee has already decided to leave the company, and, unless they stay in touch with former co-workers, they have no way of knowing whether or not their complaints made a difference. Depending on the industry, many employees fear a bad reference and refrain from being truthful during the interview. What that often does is keep a manager with a company who may be extremely hard to work for, yet has an unblemished record.

In the television news business, where word-of-mouth is crucial, one negative comment from the news director or station manager can literally keep a person out of work for months and possibly blackball them from the market entirely. With the decks stacked that high against them, no one wants to take the risk and bad-mouth their supervisor.

Taking all of those issues into consideration, some companies have changed their evaluation process, allowing a form of upward feedback from employees. That feedback goes directly to the Human Resources Department and, at many companies, it can be anonymous.

Managers at a hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, perform their annual evaluations themselves and have to complete an extensive section about their relationship with their employees and explain in detail how they keep them motivated and foster their growth. It's in their best interest to be honest, as the department has an open door policy that allows employees to come in and discuss inter-departmental issues with the Human Resources Director, and are often asked the same questions.

A company that owns newspapers across the country encourages its employees to try to work out their differences with their direct supervisors one-on-one. But if they feel their complaints or issues are falling on deaf ears, they're also encouraged to go a step above their supervisor if a solution can't be reached.

Some employees say it's a nice policy in theory and looks good on paper, but that it doesn't work. I would have to agree that it wouldn't be easy to go to your boss' boss to complain about him or her and not fear some form of retribution.

That is why I am advocating an election, with a full-blown campaign. Let's get the issues out, hold a debate in the break room and let the people decide. No republicans, no democrats, just people. And may the best man (or woman) win.