Core Group

the people in a group with the real Power. In-Group, Inner Circle

Art Kleiner Model of Organization Models.

http://wayback.archive.org/web/20020406062138/http://www.well.com/user/art/fscoregroup.html

Book Who Really Matters? ISBN:0385484488

http://www.well.com/conf/inkwell.vue/topics/208/Art-Kleiner-Who-Really-Matters-T-page01.html

Related-but-different: Gervais Principle

(if you can't spot the sucker at the table, it's probably you)