What is an Alpha?
Let's start with the fact that Dr. David Mech, the man who gave us the idea of alpha/beta wolf behavior, has spent the rest of his career disavowing the idea.

Basically the more we've learned about wolf behavior the more complex and fascinating it's become. For example the Alpha may be the leader, but the Beta is the pack's protector, enforcer and 'goon.' The Beta is also expendable. The rest of the pack has far more complex roles and services to the needs of the family.

Then comes the little issue of we humans are social primates not canidae (dogs, wolves, coyotes, etc.) Both our brains and behaviors are a wee bit more complicated than Spot's, or if you're born after 1977, Chewie's. Applying a flawed hypothesis about wolf behavior to justify human behavior is a bit of a stretch.

However, in our cultural consciousness alpha=leader/alpha=bad ass is as dug in as an Alabama tick. It's not likely to let loose no matter how much petroleum jelly we smear on it. About that, not only am I ashamed to admit I'm the one who introduced the term to the self-defense world back in '89, but the whole Pick Up Artist community has run amok with the idea. These days every Tom, Dick and Harry is swaggering around telling anybody who can't get away fast enough, "I'm an alpha."

Ummm.... about that.

Still, we're kind of stuck with the term so let's run with it -- knowing it's wrong. Being an alpha is a whole lot more than just ordering people around or intimidating people with the threat of violence (that's called being a bully). And it's definitely more than just being able to beat people up.

Being an alpha has to do with one's involvement in a group. So the lone wolf alpha? Forget it. The hyper aggressive mad-dog that turns on his own at the drop of a hat. Not going to be in charge for long.

More specifically, being an alpha is about the helping develop and maintaining a group dynamic, hierarchy and the functionality of the group. And this not just for your own benefit. Being an alpha is about leadership and taking care of others.

Below are a list of traits that you will see in human ~cough cough~ alpha leadership. These are the traits that those engaged in the macho parody of manhood just ... don't ... get. And because they don't 'get it,' not only will they not be respected, but they won't be trusted. Instead of being looked upon as 'warriors,' they'll be looked upon as loose cannons on deck.

Before you can understand what an alpha is, you first need to understand something about the nature of power. Namely: Power is granted to you by the group. 

Putting that another way: You don't have power unless other people give it to you.

Here's the catch, the group gives you power on the condition that you look out for their needs. That's the deal. You get extra power to serve them. If you violate this trust then you will be stripped of your power by the group (including the entire group abandoning you).

That simple point is the biggest stumbling block for people who want to be leaders but are not cut out for it. Such people are incapable (or unwilling) to look out for anyone's interest except their own. And that brings us to the next point.

Alphas Are Trustworthy
Trust is a fundamental issue of being an alpha. People do not give power to someone they do not trust to look after their needs.

When we say this people always reply with comments like "Well what about Hitler?" Realize first of all there is a difference between power and force. Although the Nazis used force to dominate other nations, the German people had elected the Nazis. They had supported Hitler and given him power. Although he would later abuse this power, at the time they granted it to him, they believed Hitler would serve them better than anyone else. Something else people forget is between his ascension to power in '33/34 and about 1942 life for the German people improved. They'd spent the last five years being pounded by the Great Depression worse than any Western nation as the Treaty of Versailles had stripped Germany of its industrial base. (The Nazi were also corrupt as hell. By the war's end there were a lot of rich and dead Nazi party leaders-- including Hitler.) In hindsight it is easy gloss over this idea, but even Hitler had people who trusted him enough to give him power. Power, he held until the end. 

The full article can be read at: http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/alphabehavior.htm#heirarchy

It's worth a read :-)