Humans continuously change how they define and select leaders. So why are we still using a term derived from the animal kingdom to describe men?
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In nature, the dominant male animal in a particular group is called the alpha male.
In the context of the animal kingdom, it makes sense. The dominant wolf or lion is quite evident. In many cases, only the alpha male is allowed to procreate. The best genes are passed on, ensuring the survival of the species over the long-term. The dominant male has to be healthy, fit and able to protect the group from outsiders as well as fend off leadership attempts from members of the group.
Humans may have started off in this pattern for early survival, but as they evolved and society got more complex humans displayed a unique characteristic. They adapted the selection process.
The Many Faces of Alpha
The Physical Alpha
In the distant past, you had to be a capable fighter and hunter. The winner was often not the best for the group, but the toughest. Physical strength and speed were critical, but that wasn’t enough. You also had to be smart enough to organize and protect the tribe. Wrong selection and the tribe disappeared.
Over time, weaponry advanced and humans developed more sophisticated social structures. The ability to lead and bring together groups of people for safety or conquest was added to the list of physical combat skills. Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan were not armchair conquerors.
The Hereditary Alpha
At some point, men who retained power long enough decided that rather than continually fighting to retain power, they would establish rules around the selection process. Kings passed on the kingdom to their eldest sons. To further cement the lineage, these lines became divine rights.
While still coming from a warrior background, the top leaders of the army had to become strategists. The role of alpha moved into the mind.
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As a prize for support, knights, barons, counts and dukes could pass on their lands and titles to their family. In their groups, they had ultimate power, but they also had to bow to the King.
This structure worked because, despite the lopsided benefits for the ruling class compared to most of the people, there was increased stability. Once humans moved from single combat to wars to determine who rules, the cost of leadership changes became significant. The Game of Thrones is so successful because it exposes the toll of violently contested successions, including weakening the country to external threats.
But the hereditary alpha didn’t earn the position. They learned to fill it well enough or were displaced.
The General as Alpha
As we enter the time of the Napoleonic Wars, armies had become super-organized. The advancement of weapons technology to cannons and muskets meant that physical prowess was less necessary. Generals were no longer expected to lead from the front. In fact, that would be stupidity in most cases because even a peasant with a musket could take out the general and shatter the ability of the army to function.
While still coming from a warrior background, the top leaders of the army had to become strategists. The role of alpha moved into the mind. Many of the early battles Napoleon Bonaparte fought were against generals appointed because of hereditary rank. He came into power and commanded loyalty through merit. He was defeated when others of merit faced him.
The Merchant Alpha
If you have a group of ten men together, all thinking they are strong alpha males, nine of them are wrong.
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Men who seek prestige, safety and power come from every area of society. Fortunes were made as power shifted from the rural nobility and farming to cities, trade and industrialism. The merchant kings sought to pass their fortunes on to their children through inheritance.
As we went through the 1800s and 1900s power shifted to the people and especially the people with money.
The Visionary Alpha
As we steam into current times, we are seeing the emergence of more of what I think of as visionary leaders. They have an idea and go off and disrupt whole industries or create something brand new. They may lead their companies by holding the vision, inspiring their workforce, or sheer force of will. The big difference is that the change or the idea is the end game, not the desire to dominate others.
In the context of executing the vision, they are alphas. But outside of that goal, they may be content to let others have the limelight.
There Can Only Be One
If you have a group of ten men together, all thinking they are strong alpha males, nine of them are wrong.
By definition, there can only be one alpha male per group. They may all be physically strong, aggressive or inclined to lead, but they either have a single alpha or none at all.
Introverts, Extroverts and the Faux Alpha
We often think of alpha males as chest thumping male gorillas (no offence to gorillas). We mistake posturing, bullying, and desire for true confidence and power; accidentally proliferating the faux alpha.
Extroverts tend to be more outgoing and in-your-face in their styles. If you look at where the real power is, and who people follow, you will see a good mix of both introverts and extroverts in leadership positions. Both styles have an important role.
Entertainment
More and more, the physically dominant roles are being relegated to sports and entertainment. It feeds a need to experience personal power and the belief that we too could be the hero, but without the risk.
Democratic Alpha
Those men who can adapt rapidly to change will tend to thrive.
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As people got tired of others seizing power and passing it on through generations, humans created numerous forms of democracy. The idea is to self-select your leadership and have a peaceful way of getting them out of power.
Democracy, more than any other factor, has opened up leadership at the top levels to just about anyone. Many countries with democracies have still not elected non-males into the top positions; despite the fact that women have successfully led nations elsewhere.
Adapting to Changing Definitions
As I mentioned earlier in this post, the ways in which people ascend to power has been changing and evolving. This ability to modify the rules is pretty unique to humans. It speaks to our capacity to dream and adapt while still honoring our instinctive nature of seeking safety.
As society moves forward, there will be more disruptive changes facing us. Those men who can adapt rapidly to change will tend to thrive. If we look through the faux exterior of posturing and bluff, we see that people and societies, who failed to change and evolve, tend to become less, not more, over time.
Personally, I don’t think the term alpha male is all that useful for humans. Even less useful is beta male or bold beta. I believe we should ditch the labels for ones that describe humans more accurately.
Groups and group dynamics change and shift too much for such a static definition. Many leadership experts believe we all have the capacity for leadership within us in the right situation.
I do as well.
The Big Questions
This article was not meant to have all the answers or put down any style of manhood. It was to generate thought and conversation about how the human dynamic has changed and continues to change today. We don’t need a single style of man any more than we want a single flavor of ice cream.
Democracy is really about group choice. Capitalism in a free market is about choice. The greatest freedoms we have are about personal choice within the context of a larger society.
A few questions to consider:
- Leadership – Are you choosing a leader based on a compelling vision they have for the future or based on fear and safety concerns?
- Employment – Are you choosing your career and workplace based on a style of leadership and aligned purpose?
- Business – Are you consciously building your business and culture to be adaptable for the future?
- Marketing – Do you know which dynamics of self-identity, power and leadership to which you are speaking?
- Alpha – What is a human alpha male? Are we ready to stop using this word to describe men and choose more accurate terms that celebrate variety and all of the strengths of men?
- Men – Are you holding onto the past or looking to create a bold new future?
Source: 30dB.com – Alpha Males
Photo: GettyImages
First rule of fight club is to never talk about fight club. First rule of the alpha male is to never talk about alpha males. We are not animals. We are not wolves in the wild. We are humans. Humans require leaders, but that leader is often not an alpha male by true human standards, He is someone that has ascended to a position of leadership by those above him, not those who would follow. Would that not make him more a beta male that is put in charge of people? Maybe, maybe not, but it certainly does not award… Read more »
Great points D.J.
I’ve also seen people who seem to have little desire or inclination to leadership, suddenly take on a major leadership role. Usually a belief or passion drives it. Some trigger.
So much of stepping up is related to situation, environment, and opportunity.
I think one misconception in the article is that words and concepts have more or less remained stagnant as people have evolved tremendously. Alpha male success is relative, but relative to what? I grew up with a group of alpha males. All guys driven to succeed, which was more Asian cultural than U.S. We competed on everything strength, ability to fight, grades, awards, money, job, size of house, etc. There was a point when it seemed they competed on number of children. The competition was so broad that there couldn’t be a single alpha, but the constant competition made them… Read more »
John, it is certainly not wrong to care about success and excellence. The premise of the article was more the binary nature of the definition and getting more precise. Your description gave us a lot more useful information about your group than just saying alpha.
Of course the definition of success is fluid as well. I strive for excellence and personal growth but others strive for other things. All about what is right for you.
Doug
Yes let’s get rid of that concept, or label.
And when some one say ” I am alpha” I just smile….
Probably like labeling a cheap bottle “a fine wine”. You are or aren’t and self-labeling probably doesn’t change the taste.
🙂
I subscribe to the belief that people can do whatever they want, as long as what they’re doing doesn’t actively keep someone else from doing what they want. You know what type of man person tries to control (and therefore limit) others? Those who consider themselves alpha. There’s a controlling female equivalent, too. And I feel comfortable calling both out on their BS. The harm is to anyone in their path, purposefully or not, doing something the alpha doesn’t approve of or like. The alpha usually consideres him/herself the apex of “correctness” and presumes that their opinions, ideals, and values… Read more »
I think that describes the toxic version of alpha. Not all fit that model.
I really like that aspect of mindset. Abundance or scarcity plays a big role.
Erie, the problem I have with what you said is that there is an assumption that the “alpha” is that which you described and in reality, a good alpha wouldn’t do these things. What’s happening is that the “alpha” is being labeled as a negative. Not everyone can be the leader of the pack, so to speak. Personally, I tend to be the alpha type. A couple of years ago the department staff did a team building retreat. One of the exercises was to imagine we’re all stranded on an island and pick whom you would want on he island… Read more »
Tom – I guess I just don’t think of an alpha role as being necessary anymore, and don’t think of leaders as being “alpha.” Anytime I hear the term used, it’s usually someobe posturing, rather than a description of their traits. Btw – I love that excercise you referenced – we did that at my last job. I wouldn’t self-define as an alpha female (although I have been described as such – mostly because I stand my ground, I guess?), but I too was chosen for that island by co-workers. I asked why, and was told that it was my… Read more »
Tom, you are right. Alpha says dominant. There are good and bad manifestations of that trait. What I am hearing is that you are naturally inclined for take charge leadership and do so in a good away.
Erie Naiad, “I subscribe to the belief that people can do whatever they want, as long as what they’re doing doesn’t actively keep someone else from doing what they want.” I agree. “You know what type of man person tries to control (and therefore limit) others? Those who consider themselves alpha.” There is one type of alpha that does this, but that is the faux alpha. The alpha gets to the top through his own merits. The faux alpha gets to the top through undermining others and that’s not just limited to the alpha. That is more a function of… Read more »
I totally agree
Great points on distinguishing faux alpha John. The alpha characteristics and the implementation of leadership are two separate things.
In many cases leadership is about building consensus and strong teams. Like Erie mentioned, different ways to get there.
Why not? What’s the harm? Like I’ve said before, we’ve switched things around to make people like the “alpha” male appear bad.
IMO, Alpha males ARE who they are and no one has the right to take that away from them, shame them or discourage them.
Agreed Tom. The idea was more to make the label more specific. Leader or entrepreneur means more to me than alpha. What kind of alpha? Cheers.