“You say you’ll change the constitution/Well, you know/We all want to change your head/You tell me it’s the institution/Well, you know/You’d better free your mind instead.” – “Revolution” written by John Lennon & Paul McCartney

One of the hot topics of discussion these days is leadership. Who is qualified, who is not? What does it take to really lead? The idea of true leadership has been evaluated, dissected and social media-scandalized. When it comes to authority, we all think we can do a better job. Whether it is parenting, leading a country or running your local McDonald’s, everyone has an opinion.

This popular topic of bucking authority has become incredibly visual. Seeing strikes, protests and reading Twitter posts validates the idea of asserting opinions. What we used to read in textbooks, we now see 24/7. While most people probably agree that a level of authority is needed in a lot of areas, they will disagree about how that looks when it directly affects them.  This is especially true in the workplace setting.

Bosses often get a bad rap. In fact, it is rare to hear about an amazing boss. Are there just not that many amazing bosses or do we just not recognize them? Is there a bit of rebellion in all of us that prevents us from giving the kudos to an authority figure?

Maybe, just maybe it’s possible to give your boss a break. Don’t go all French Revolution on me – hear me out. Just as in any relationship, consider what you bring to the table. As importantly, consider what you don’t bring – both good and bad aspects. In our workplaces, is it possible our Monday Morning Quarterback approach to leadership truly comes a day too late?

In Lea McLeod’s ”7 Ways to Become Your Boss’ Dream Employee,” she outlines what a dream employee would do to assist a boss. If you were the boss, you’d like the list because it shows what it could be like to be part of a team. It is a high-accountability, all-in type of approach. It’s not for those who think Facebook is the employee handbook or follow their company’s progress on LinkedIn.

One key point of her article is the importance of following the leader. McLeod says the hierarchy maintains the flow and “as an employee, you may be so focused on your own goals that you forget that you’re actually there to support your manager achieving her goals.” When you applied for your job, you read the job description and upon accepting the job, agreed to the expectations. Are you doing all you can to fulfill your agreement?

A secondary employee responsibility is to know what is expected of your boss. Read his job description. Just as you would not want someone to criticize your job performance when they don’t know your job description, it is unfair to criticize your boss without knowing his. There may be reasons why he has certain expectations and you should know those reasons.

McLeod says employees who support their managers reap the benefits of developing their skills in areas of leadership and empathy, as well as gaining the boss as a mentor and advocate. Supporting your boss while building your skillset opens many more opportunities, including becoming the boss someday.

As any responsible revolutionary knows, freedom always comes with a price. As an employee, you can stay and play or walk away. Paraphrasing one of the greatest songwriting duos of all time, you decide how much you want to change the institution/your boss or yourself.