firm hand on the tiller

Full control over a situation. I felt comfortable knowing that even during this difficult time, he had a firm hand on the tiller. You have to have a firm hand on the tiller when you're raising kids. It's so important for them to have structure and rules in their lives. The new CEO has managed to steer the company back into profitability in less than a year. It seems they have finally found someone who can keep a firm hand on the tiller.