The power of those in the shadows….
As you mature, life becomes more obviously about operating overtly together with the skills to guide from the shadows.
There is a French term for a person who does exactly this. Eminence Grise. The definition from Wikipedia is of a powerful decision maker or advisor who steers behind the scenes — usually unofficially. And yes I like to think of myself as one. Just please don’t tell my family…
The phase ‘Power behind the throne’ is a well oiled line conjoined with many of histories notorious periods. Famous Eminence Grise include Cardinal Richelieu, the puppeteer behind the throne of Louis XIII of France in the 17th Century. Otto van Bismarck the Chancellor to Wilhelm I the King of Prussia, and then the first Kaiser (Emperor) of Germany. Edith Wilson the wife of the US President Woodrow Wilson who stepped up to making decisions unofficially when he suffered a stroke in 1919, carrying on until his second term came to an end in 1921. Chairman Mao’s right hand man Zhou Enlai who was called the ‘Kings Whisperer’. He was officially in charge of foreign policy but it is also thought he controlled the domestic situation in China. Catherine de Medici supported the reign of her husband, King Henry II of France, and three of her sons in a time when women were not expected to wield power. The Empress Dowager Cixi who was one of the most powerful figures in China for 50 years, ruling behind her young son and then nephew.
I’ve focussed on the past of politics for my illustrations, but power players abound across all spheres of life. There are many other notable examples and plenty we have yet to piece together. Though we might never do so. Because these individuals deliberately or through circumstance have been shrouded by history and time.
Such characters are not always who you expect and can arise from a variety of roles in the lead’s life — politicians, family, partners, mentors, muses, religious figures. To manoeuvre as they do, they must have in common determination, charisma and purpose; but their motives will vary. A king maker does not always need to operate symbiotically to achieve success. In fact for many leads, their hidden hand may be required to pilot abrasively to achieve those optimal or exceptional outputs. Because for some without the antagonism, there is no challenge — nicety and easy deliver nothing. It is the friction; the annoyance that produces the magic. We must also not forget that some leads may be entirely unaware they are following ginger bread crumbs as intended by their Svengali ….
It’s uncomfortable accepting this way of the world. It feels undemocratic and deceptive. It also suggests something surprising about those we charge to brandish power or front success; that they would willingly or unknowingly yield choices to another; that perhaps they are not as talented or capable as we observed. But our unease emerges not just from our thoughts on power. We delight in considering success in a field — creative, science, music etc and wrapping it around an individual or a lead; downplaying the influence of others whether overt or in the shadows. We take a certain thrill attributing success to a single person and their personality. Sometimes we understand the role of luck but psychological, cultural and social biases impinge on our perception. CEOs and Inventors are cases in point.
I have been pondering the power of the second individual, or those in the shadows playing a role in more ordinary lives and in particular my ordinary life. As I’ve aged and become more introspective I like to think I have become imbued with grace and hence generous with my endowment of gratitude (yes I know my family will scoff!).
I appreciate the person in my shadow who has supported me with my minor life successes. My husband is the doyen I turn to for advice and bolstering. He helps me logistically and mentally with challenges that arise across the multiple domains of my life, many times unwittingly. So much so, I have come to deeply rely on his knowledge and thought processes. I hypothesise when a company employs me they get some of his mental acuity thrown in too. In my life, my Eminence Grise is aligned with me in our meandering, as we potter through mostly in sympathy with each other. And I like to think I am also in his shadow, subtly escorting as the need arises. Our achievements are not borne of a single endeavour but of a dual labour.
Clearly I have not explained how I operate in the shadows. But I do. Take it from me I am fully aware of my actions and the intended consequences.
It feels vulnerable explaining the deceptive angle of my modus operandi. It isn’t what people like to hear and begs the question of ethics when that manipulation is not accepted willingly or more usually — knowingly. Because throughout this writing I have presumed a person is conscious of the Eminence Grise that surround and that these individuals function in our interests.
But that’s not always true….
