TERMIUM Plus®

The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.

POWER BEHIND THRONE [1 record]

Record 1 1990-03-06

English

Subject field(s)
  • Group Dynamics
  • Meetings and Assemblies (Administration)
OBS

éminence grise: nickname of Père Joseph (François Le Clerc du Tremblay) ... French monk and diplomate who was confidant of Cardinal Richelieu ...

DEF

a confidential agent; esp: one exercising unsuspected or unofficial power.

CONT

... a "doctor's assistant" may fill the group's need to keep the discussion going when the therapist is playing a rather passive role ...

OBS

The phrase "doctor's assistant" is adapted and used in a figurative sense.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Dynamique des groupes
  • Réunions et assemblées (Administration)
DEF

"Leader" officieux, ami et conseiller du "leader formel" d'un groupe. Ce terme provient de "l'éminence grise", moine, ami discret et conseiller de Richelieu.

CONT

[...] il arrive que le chef institutionnel (le "responsable" vis-à-vis des échelons supérieurs) n'accomplisse, en fait, qu'un très petit nombre d'actions de leadership, et que se manifestent des "leaders occultes", dont l'importance pratique est loin d'être négligeable.

CONT

Celui qui tire les ficelles: celui qu'on ne voit pas et qui fait agir les autres. "Des gens se font tuer ... Certains ... considèrent ces martyrs comme des pantins dont eux savent tenir en main les ficelles".

Spanish

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