Steering a ship or boat using the helm (the wheel or tiller); also means leading or directing something.
From Old English 'helm,' originally meaning 'steering apparatus' and eventually 'to steer,' extended to mean 'to lead or guide.' The nautical root gave rise to metaphorical uses about leadership.
Captain Kirk 'helmed' the Enterprise, which is why sports teams might say their new coach is 'helming' the team. The word traveled from literal ship steering to any kind of leadership because navigating a ship and navigating an organization both require vision and control.
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