better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion
proverb It is better to be in a leadership position, even if the group or organization you're leading is deemed less important than others. I think you should look for another job because you'll never get a prominent position at this big company. Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion, you know? I know they say better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion, but I've never had any interest in taking a management position. A: "That so-called 'committee' he's in charge of consists of five people!" B: "Yeah, but better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion."
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion.
Prov. It is better to be the leader of a less prestigious group than to be a subordinate in a more prestigious one. Joe: I can be the headmaster of a small secondary school, or I can be a teacher at a famous university. Which job offer do you think I should take? Nancy: Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion. A professional writing workshop had asked Bob to join, but he elected to stay with his amateur group, since he thought it better to be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.