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

Lisa Robyn is a book publishing veteran and founder and president of her own marketing communications company. Before establishing her own firm, Robyn held senior positions on the public relations, marketing, and editorial side of the book business. She created blockbuster marketing campaigns for bestsellers such as The Dilbert Principle, Reengineering the Corporation, Good to Great, The Innovator's Dilemma, and Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?, among others. She also taught book publicity at the NYU School of Continuing Education. Robyn has been quoted in the New York Times, Industry Standard, Publishers Weekly, BusinessWeek, 800ceoread, PR Tactics, and MBA Jungle.

The Corporate Dominatrix exposes the workplace for what it truly is: a social sadomasochistic wonderland — one in which some people have power and some do not, thus creating an unbalanced command-and-control dynamic. Using the psychological tools of the professional dominatrix, Lisa Robyn shows women how to role-play their way to success by employing the tactics of six mistress archetypes: Goddess, Queen, Amazon, Governess, Nurse, and Schoolgirl. For a dominatrix in everyday life, the key to effectiveness lies in being switchable — knowing when to be firm and direct and when to be flexible and accommodating. The Corporate Dominatrix dominates without being domineering and is submissive without being subservient. She stands up for her rights in an open and straightforward way, and she is confident enough to intuit what her clients or colleagues want and she responds accordingly.

Robyn provides a compelling strategy for women to get their way at work by choosing the appropriate role to fit the particular situation, while always behaving in a professional manner that earns respect. Filled with examples and practical tips, this provocative business book will help every businesswoman advance to the position she wants and truly become the mistress of her domain.

Power becomes you . . . Use it wisely.

Publishers Weekly

It would be understandable but wrong to assume that Robyn-a publishing industry and public relations veteran-attached an eye-catching title to a standard female empowerment book just to snag the attention. But her effort is no more standard than the questions in the Corporate Dominatrix personality quiz. Applying the lessons she learned "stepping into the pumps" of a practicing dominatrix and owner of an upscale dungeon in New York, she doesn't just talk a good game, she whips the secrets of the s&m trade into practical advice for thriving in the workplace. Guiding readers through the six roles of domination-the goddess, the queen, the governess, the amazon, the nurse and the schoolgirl-she describes the attributes of each role and how to play them in order to gain positive results from bosses, co-workers and direct reports. For instance, assuming the amazon role can smooth the way when merging staffs after a reorganization; the schoolgirl role creates opportunities to borrow power and learn from mentors; and if a queen rules with a velvet glove, not an iron fist, she can build support by fortifying those below her. More than a standout title, Robyn offers advice for getting serious results in a most readable fashion. Leather, whips and chains are optional. (Apr. 11)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Foreword   M. Louise Ripley     xi
Introduction     1
My Big Fat Sadomasochistic Work Life     7
Freud for Thought     8
Enter the Corporate Dominatrix     11
The S&M of the S&P     13
Power Becomes You     15
Leather and Latex Research     16
What Color Is Your Corporate Personality?     18
The Six Sisters You Never Knew You Had     23
Who Are You, Really?     24
What's Your Dominance Quotient?     32
The Many Faces of Power     36
Archetype One: The Goddess     39
What's Your Earth Mother Mind-set?     39
Get in a Goddess State of Mind with Personal Power     41
The Goddess Is Inner Directed     43
Face-off with Your Alter Ego     46
The Goddess Has an Altruistic Nature     47
No Go on Quid Pro Quo     49
The Goddess Is Centered at All Times     50
Practice Creative Distancing     54
The Dark Side of the Goddess     57
Archetype Two: The Queen     59
What's Your Matriarchal Mind-set?     59
Get in a Queen State of Mind with Position Power     60
The QueenRules with a Velvet Glove Instead of an Iron Fist     62
Mediate, Don't Dictate!     67
The Queen Is Part Politician and Part Actress     69
Image and Attitude Awareness Are Key     75
The Queen Is an Empire Builder     79
Keep Your Cards Close to Your Chest     82
The Dark Side of the Queen     83
Archetype Three: The Governess     85
What's Your Supervisory Mind-set?     85
Get in a Governess State of Mind with Expert and Reward Powers     87
The Governess Is a Multitask Mistress     88
Become an Organizational Whiz     95
The Governess Is a Natural Mentor     96
Take Someone Under Your Wing     99
The Governess Builds Character and Follows Corporate Etiquette     100
Reach Out and Touch Someone     106
The Dark Side of the Governess     107
Archetype Four: The Amazon     109
What's Your Mercenary Mind-set?     109
Get in an Amazon State of Mind with Coercive Power     111
The Amazon Is Not Deterred by Defeat     113
Practice Healthy Fearlessness     119
The Amazon Is Battle Ready     123
Make Skill and Preparation Your Weapons of Choice      127
The Amazon Resettles Prisoners of War     129
Win the Peace, Not Just the War     132
The Dark Side of the Amazon     133
Archetype Five: The Nurse     135
What's Your Therapeutic Mind-set?     135
Get in a Nurse State of Mind with Healing Power     136
The Nurse Has Steady Hands     138
Be Reactive, Not Radioactive     139
The Nurse Takes Everybody's Temperature     141
Time for the Performance Checkup     144
The Nurse Applies First Aid as Needed     145
Take an Aspirin and Call Me in the Morning     150
The Dark Side of the Nurse     152
Archetype Six: The Schoolgirl     153
What's Your Scholastic Mind-set?     153
Get in a Schoolgirl State of Mind with Borrowed Power     155
The Schoolgirl Tops from the Bottom and Bottoms from the Top     158
It's Not a Bother, It's a Barter     160
The Schoolgirl Disarms with Charm     161
Tap Into Your Inner Child     165
The Schoolgirl Flatters Through Imitation     167
Audition for the Understudy     173
The Dark Side of the Schoolgirl     174
The Corporate Dominatrix Goes to Work (And Works It)      175
Playing the Hand You're Dealt     177
The Corporate Theater of the Absurd     178
Establish Your Defining Role     178
Role Taking-Choosing the Part You Want to Play     180
Role-playing-Lights, Camera, Action     182
Role Reversal-Dominance Versus Submission     184
Corporate Mind Games, Administrative Fetishes, and Exec-tricities     190
The Corporate Dominatrix Self-assessment     194
Play It Safe     196
Fantasy Realization     199
Manifest Your Destiny     200
Acknowledgments     205