better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond
Better to be independent in a small situation than to be subordinate and powerless in a large one; literally "better to be a chicken's mouth than a cow's backside"
better a small leader than a big follower
better to be the beak of a bird than the rump of an ox; it is better to lead a small group than to be a lowly subordinate in a large organization