lisa marie corso walks us through
some of the more memorable
on-screen managers.
who’s the boss
FRANKLIN HART JR. IN 9 TO 5 // Taking a friendship from the office
cubicle to the real world is usually a slow progression involving
mutual bitch sessions and booze-induced oversharing, but in 9 to 5,
it’s fast-tracked when co-workers Judy, Violet and Doralee kidnap
their boss, Franklin Hart Jr. Granted, he’s a deserving candidate
for such a crime, given his brazen sexual harassment, tendency to
impulsively fire staff, and support of the gender pay gap. And you
can bet he leaves his unwashed mug in the communal kitchen sink.
Every. Single. Day. When the trio of dames decides they’ve finally
had enough of his shit, they band together and force their boss to
take some overdue long service leave. (Translation: they hold him
captive in his Tudor-style mansion until they can figure out a way to
blackmail him.) In his absence, they manage to implement positive
change in the workplace, and investigate an embezzlement
scandal that not only brings their boss down, but restores their
office kitchen hygiene forever. Type of boss: Despicable.
...................
M IN THE JAMES BOND FILMS // Working in 30-minute intervals
à la the Pomodoro time management technique is one way to foster
office productivity; another is to tell your employees the world will
come to an end if they don’t do their job. This is the style preferred
by M, James Bond’s boss throughout the celebrated franchise.
Played by four actors across 24 films, top marks must go to Dame
Judi Dench for the first female portrayal of the famous character.
M is in charge of the UK’s secret service MI6, and is the strategic
mastermind behind James Bond’s save-the-world antics. (Try listing
that on your LinkedIn profile.) She’s firm but fair, respected and
feared, and receiving praise from M is rare – but when it does
happen, you’ll wish you’d recorded it on a secret spy bluetooth
device so you could play it back and bask in it again and again.
Type of boss: Bad-arse....................
MIRANDA PRIESTLY IN THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA // Someone
could make a lot of money if they invented an app that forecasts
the weather, as well as your boss’s daily mood. When the program
predicts sunny with a chance of cheer, you’d know it was the
right time to ask for that well-earned bonus. When it predicts
thunderstorms with a chance of thunderstorms, it probably isn’t
broken – but your boss probably is Miranda Priestly. As editor of
Runway magazine, Miranda is highly revered for both her professional
talents and chillingly composed expressions of displeasure. Assistant
Andrea is on call 24/7 to meet her outrageous demands, like locating
an unreleased Harry Potter manuscript, or getting Miranda on a
flight home to NYC when all airports are closed. She’s the kind of
boss who leaves you trembling, but craving her approval, no matter
how many coffee cups you have to juggle in chaotic New York
traffic. Eventually you might earn her begrudging respect, but
not before winding up in hospital or alienating all your pals.
Type of boss: Unnerving....................
CHARLIE TOWNSEND IN CHARLIE'S ANGELS // Warning: when
a boss declares that micromanagement is not their style, run the
other way, because they are lying. From now on, your work will be
under surveillance by the kind of watchful eye usually reserved for
high-ranking sleuths. If this irks you, consider finding a job withpopcorn