They latch onto someone else and depend upon that other individual for basic survival. If you have ever had the feeling that someone else is shadowing you, and no matter how hard you try you cannot make the shadow disappear, then you have probably been a 'benefactor'. A benefactor is a tolerant individual in whom the dependent personality places unquestioned trust.
Dependents rely upon and look to their benefactor for protection and shelter.
Certainly, most dependent bosses have led sheltered lives. Few demands have been placed on them. So they lack the competencies, skills, and coping mechanisms most normal people have. In short, they have never matured, and don't really want to start now. They see their purpose in life as ornamental, not functional.