Miranda Bailey on Grey's Anatomy

You’re the eye of the storm, the tough, taking-care-of-business type. But whose business, exactly, are you taking care of?

Pros
Clients know that however flaky they get, you’ll fix their professional boo-boos. And when the going gets tough, you form lots of alliances at work by offering that shoulder to cry on. Managers who lack that soft touch count on you to mentor the newbies and the sensitive. Your strong, fair style means you have lots of fans—but you need to remember when to cut the apron strings.

Cons
Colleagues know that you demand plenty of them, but you’re ferociously protective of your own. And just like your kids, they will use your superhuman competence against you—getting you to all but cut their meat for them if you let them.

What to Do
Angela Sternberg, a corporate lawyer and mother of two, says, “My boss is a working mom, too, and we both get cast in this maternal role that totally fits but can also be quite frustrating. So much of what we do is guiding, advising, keeping people out of trouble and helping them make well-informed decisions.” But she also sees the negatives, like when people you mother become dependent or resent you. “When I’m developing a pattern where I allow someone to come to me to solve things she should be learning to solve herself, I’ll say, ‘Next time, you’re on your own.’”