Many job seekers believe they will be better off getting away from a boss they avoid, fear or disrespect. My suggestion is to first improve the situation where you are. Changing your behavior will teach you lessons you can use in your next position. Improving your relationship will buy you time for a more successful career search.

Take 100% responsibility for your relationship with your boss. It's a fact that you are 50% responsible. Taking full responsibility gives you power. Begin by seeing that your boss is your partner in business. The only person you can change is YOU. If you are avoiding your boss, begin in little ways to increase communication.

Quit expecting your boss to know more than you do. In the past, bosses typically rose from within the ranks. They knew the job because they had done it, excelled at it, and were promoted from within to take advantage of that knowledge. Your boss's job is not to know YOUR job, but to get results through hard-working people like you. Supervision is a whole different game.

Increase communication with your boss. While you might feel like hiding out and avoiding contact with a boss with whom you don't see eye-to-eye, this is the time to increase contact. Much of the turmoil we feel is imagined judgments. Be assertive and initiate contact with your boss. Start small with social conversations about the weather, sports or the weekend. Be assertive and bring up difficult subjects yourself.

Handle problems as they occur. A work partnership is a lot like a marriage - you shouldn't save up grievances and then blow up. If your boss says something that hurts you, do something about it in a positive way. Plan carefully what you will say. Be assertive and use non-blaming language. Here's an example: "When the sales figures were reported this morning, I felt my contribution was overlooked. I felt hurt and slighted. My request is that my achievement be mentioned in the memo going out to everyone." (Notice this formula: What Happened, How I felt, My Request)

Deliver news consistently. Deliver bad news immediately. Your boss relies on your ability to report accurately and quickly the status of the work in your area. Find ways to communicate what he or she needs to know. Know your boss's habits and decide whether voice mail or email is best. There might be times when it's important to leave messages in both places to make sure the bases are covered. It takes courage to deliver bad news, but hiding it never works. Be brave and upfront.

With great communication, you and your boss can become a team. If you decide it's time to move on, all this "practice" communication will serve you well in interviews. When asked, you'll be able to honestly say, "I have a great working relationship with my boss." That's the kind of employee any company is looking for!