Heroine Archetype - The Boss

By: Katherine Lowry Logan

We have all met the Boss! Some of us have even had the good fortune to have worked for one or two. This kind of woman works on her schedule with or without help. She’s direct, daring, and forceful. She enjoys matching her wits and skills against others. Generally charming, she may cause others to experience a conflicting feeling of being drawn to her and yet distancing at the same time. When facing a new problem or decision, the Boss tends to move quickly and directly. And typically doesn’t consider the rights and feelings of other people.

The Boss can become critical of others who fail to meet her expectations. She evaluates them based on the ability to project strength and power. She also can become quarrelsome or even belligerent if she doesn’t get her way on something important to her. And she has little patience for those concerned with things such as details.

The Boss is motivated by verbal recognition, the ability to direct other’s activities, and having control over her environment, which needs to be fast moving and results-oriented. She is uncomfortable and avoids environments with rigid time constraint or situations where she has no control over situations.

Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra schemed to gain control over the Egyptian kingdom and in doing so gained the confidence of Caesar. Following Caesar’s death, she struck an alliance with Marc Antony. Determined to do whatever was necessary to secure her position and rule her country. In defeat, she chose death.

Candice Bergen in Murphy Brown: “I was waiting for the universe to dispense some justice but sometimes the universe is just too damn slow.”

One of the more distinctive characters on television, Murphy was smart, determined and difficult. She was ambitious and her stubbornness frequently got into trouble.

Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth – Unschooled in politics, the queen killed all of her enemies and ascended to the throne. Now that was a woman whose bad side you didn’t want to cross!

Sigourney Weaver played the epitome of the Boss in the 1988 film, Working Girl. As Katharine Parker, a glory-hogging boss, she took credit for her employee’s work, smiling all the while.

Have you met or worked for a woman with the Boss characteristics? If so, tell us about your experience. What good qualities did you find in this type of intelligent, professional woman?