guid ‧ ing /ˈɡaɪdɪŋ/ BrE AmE adjective
1 . guiding principle something that helps you decide what to do in a difficult situation:
Fairness, rather than efficiency, is the guiding principle.
2 . guiding light/hand/star someone whose ideas and advice people follow:
Eddie was his hero – his guiding light.
He really needed a guiding hand.