Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada," is one example. "The most mediocre man or woman can suddenly seem dynamic, forceful, and decisive if he or she is mean enough," Bing said.

"Let there be no mistake, however," he said of the bully. "Women are no slouches in this department. In fact, I believe the female bully is perhaps the hardest to deal with of all, at least for any man who had a mother who scared him."