Customer Reviews

The Corporate Dominatrix: Six Roles to Play to Get Your Way at Work

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This author is looking at the workplace the way it is rather than what many people would hope it is. This book is another useful tool in understanding your position and thus help to move ahead in the business world. It lays out specific ideas and how to implement them. I recommend it to everyone that wants to elevate their position in the workplace.

Titillating title, eh? Sexually dripping front cover. This former VP of Marketing knows the 1st rule of magazines, "They'll judge the book by it's cover." The cover is Sex, and Sex sells.
The inside isn't so helpful, though. The author bases her 'Dominatrix Wins" opinions on "archetypes", a Jungian reference. I don't know if Jung actually created the archetypes she usesor if the author made them up. Either way, the 6 archetypes range from the domineering Queen to passive Schoolgirl, with the other 4 falling between them.
She explains each archetype, gives a vague Cosmo-like quiz, and then allows the reader to label herself. She then gives a couple simplistic business situations that the role is used in.
Here's the key problems:
1) No indication of "When" to use these, just descriptions of "What".
2) The examples conflict. Example: The "Warrior" dominatrix never takes no for an answer. Her project is given to a different employee. So, the "warrior" refuses to give, presents a new project that shows the project can be completed in half the time and half the cost. And the Warrior Wins! Now, in real corporate life, any lead engineer/project manager who basically says "My 1st estimate was 100% overpriced, here's the real cost" will lose instant credibility.

3) The "Queen" stereotype example: "Dress for success. Lisa never dressed down on casual friday. She always said 'I dress assuming the president will drop by." OK. But 3 chapters earlier she talks about the "Nurturing" archetype who does her best to bond with her team. And the Nurturing archetype strives to be one of the team, thus she dresses down to maintain camaraderie. So, does that mean if your Nurturing, you can't be a future CEO?

Regardless of contradictions, the book takes the usual self-help tone: If you make a plan, the plan will succeed.

Good luck with that.
Competition reacts to your actions, so plans don't always work.
And if some coworker starts acting in this way, most people will see through the charade. And then they'll know you're a schemer, and be on the defensive with you.
And once you get past the little "dominatrix" schtick, the success advice is decades old.

This book may attract a recent female graduate, confused on finding her place in the office. But I'd recommend
The 48 Laws of Power for a much better training guide.

The Corporate Domantrix is so delightfully interesting, you will want to share it with your entire office! I had never thought about the corporate environment in this way before and will never look at it the same way again. Finding out what role you play is fascinating... It will change the way you look at yourself and those around you. The book is entertaining and highly interactive. This is a really interesting look at a fascinating topic!!

I have never heard the attitudes and interaction found in corporate America today described better than in this book:

"The psychological uncertainty produced by today's brand of flucuating capitalism and globalization causes anxiety, fear, stress, paranoia, and helplessness...a sadomasochistic workplace of supervisor sadists and subordinate masochists."

While more "tongue in cheek" than "whip in hand", the book presents 6 roles which may be required in order for you to be successful in a corporation. These roles are archetypical of the roles played in "healthy" S&M relationships.
1. Goddess
2. Queen
3. Governess
4. Amazon
5. Nurse
6. Schoolgirl

Who hasn't worked for a corporation and seen the woman who pretends to be helpless and naive (Schoolgirl) in order to get someone to "fix" it for her. Or the woman who fixes other people's problems (the Nurse)?

I could identify women I've worked with who fit these roles with very little thought, and even knew which one was the role I play most often (Goddess). The premise of the book is that in order to be a true Corporate Dominatrix, you have to be prepared to take on any of the roles at any time.

I've shared this with several women I've worked with and for. Laced within in the laughter is the recognition that, yes, these are roles we've all seen or done on a daily basis.

An amusing and diverting book with more than a little ring (and zing) of truth.

Great Book! I applied the techniques at work and they worked like a charm! A 'must have' book for every working woman. Easy to read - straight forward and to the point. You will love this book.

As soon as I saw the name "Claudia Varrin" referenced in this book, I knew it was going to be shallow and sure enough it is.

How to apply sexy fantasy/dominatrix characters at work to get to the top.

What she fails to mention is the loss of respect from your coworkers you'll obtain as you fight to be queen of the dung heap!

Perhaps the author wanted to inspire women with confidence at work by letting them imagine themselves in the little costumes depicted in silhouette at the beginning of each chapter.

You can almost see her sitting down with her outline of The Goddess, The Queen, The Governess, The Amazon, The Nurse, The Schoolgirl, and The Corporate Dominatrix - then scrambling to come up with enough material to fill the pages for each.

She tries to sound credible, but appears to be stretching partial information to prove her point. She writes "I've read extensively about sadomasochism," then lists five (5) books, including SM 101 and The Topping Book. Those are excellent introductory books, but five books do not constitute extensive reading.

Basically, The author's advice is to be more assertive/aggressive in some situations, and less so in others. If it would help you to do that by role playing, then buy the book. It'll look interesting on your shelves.

This fascinating and entirely unique book will be read by every woman in the workplace who has ever been ogled, patted on the fanny, been unable to make eye contact with a guy at work because his gaze was fixed lower, or been talked down to, overlooked, or otherwise treated differently than a man would have been treated in her job. Who would have thought that learning the tricks of a dominatrix could make a woman such a dangerous adversary! The only effective defense I can see is for men in the business world to sneak out and buy a copy, read it, and learn how to defend against this new female tactic. And it is a pleasure to read -- sexy topic, great writing.

This is NOT your typical, dry business book. Robyn offers a new perspective on getting ahead that is fresh, fun, insightful...and little naughty! I loved it.