I believed that we have already heard an idiom “Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion”. The wording mostly has been comparing about choosing career path. It means that it is better to be in a leadership position, even if the group or organization you are leading is less important or smaller than others.
To be the head of a dog, you will feel powerful and feel like you are the most important person in the organization. You are a leadership that will lead the group to achieve the target. You might have many subordinates to drive thru the target together. The people management is the important skill that you should have to coach the group to work as a team.
If you are the tail of a lion, you will be a small gear in a big engine that will support the group to achieve the group’s target and your KPI. You will be responsible only the job assignments. You will get a lot of things to learn from top management, culture, potential partners and so on. It’s certainly you will get a good profile for your career path in the future.
It is not right or wrong to be the leader in a small one or to be a subordinate in a well-known organization. It is upon you to choose your career path. As for me, I ever had been both. I do not care to be the head of dog or the tail of a lion. I focus on the responsibilities. What kind of job that I can do the best and improve my capabilities?
I believed that we are working 8 hours per day for doing our jobs, why we do not choose a job that make us feel comfortable to be with at that time. It will get worst, if you focus on high salary but the job is high pressure and expectation, you will have to trade off mental health problem or no life balance. So I think that it not valuable for that.