at the helm
to be in a leadership position
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Christian Reber finds himself at the HELM of 6Wunderkinder, a fast-rising start-up based in the German capital where antiquated programming languages have been replaced by iPads, iPhones and cloud computing.
(Spiegel Online)
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Singapore Air’s Goh to Take HELM as Rivals Expand
(BusinessWeek Magazine)
(Spiegel Online)
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Singapore Air’s Goh to Take HELM as Rivals Expand
(BusinessWeek Magazine)
Did you
know?
at the helm
idiom
- officially controlling an organization or company
helm
noun
- the handle or wheel which controls the direction in which a ship or boat travels
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
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Helm stems from the Old English "helma," meaning rudder or position of guidance. It originally referred to the handle of a plough (13th century) and was eventually adopted to describe the handle or wheel used to steer a ship.
The expression "at the helm" belongs to a long list of phrases that have maritime origins. Because sailors have a tendency to use "spicy" language, many of these expressions are inappropriate for business or work environments. We can share some of the harmless expressions however:
- a shot across the bow = a warning. This derives from the former practice of firing a cannon across the bow of another ship as a warning (These customer complaints are a shot across the bow).
- give wide berth = to provide ample space or distance to avoid a consequence. Stems from ships maintaining a distance from other vessels or navigational hazards (I give the boss a wide berth when I think he is in a bad mood).
- know the ropes = to understand something. This is thought to have originated from the practice of sailors learning how to fix ropes and tie knots on board a ship (John will be missed when he retires because he really knows the ropes).
- shipshape = neat, orderly. Derives from the practice of keeping everything clean and orderly on a ship (Please make sure the conference room is shipshape before our visitors arrive).
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SYNONYMS
in command, in charge, in the driver's seat, at the top, to spearhead, in the saddle
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SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"I started my own business because I always wanted to be at the helm."
idiom
- officially controlling an organization or company
helm
noun
- the handle or wheel which controls the direction in which a ship or boat travels
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
---
Helm stems from the Old English "helma," meaning rudder or position of guidance. It originally referred to the handle of a plough (13th century) and was eventually adopted to describe the handle or wheel used to steer a ship.
The expression "at the helm" belongs to a long list of phrases that have maritime origins. Because sailors have a tendency to use "spicy" language, many of these expressions are inappropriate for business or work environments. We can share some of the harmless expressions however:
- a shot across the bow = a warning. This derives from the former practice of firing a cannon across the bow of another ship as a warning (These customer complaints are a shot across the bow).
- give wide berth = to provide ample space or distance to avoid a consequence. Stems from ships maintaining a distance from other vessels or navigational hazards (I give the boss a wide berth when I think he is in a bad mood).
- know the ropes = to understand something. This is thought to have originated from the practice of sailors learning how to fix ropes and tie knots on board a ship (John will be missed when he retires because he really knows the ropes).
- shipshape = neat, orderly. Derives from the practice of keeping everything clean and orderly on a ship (Please make sure the conference room is shipshape before our visitors arrive).
---
SYNONYMS
in command, in charge, in the driver's seat, at the top, to spearhead, in the saddle
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"I started my own business because I always wanted to be at the helm."
