I think that Odysseus is a magnificent leader. I say this because of the many ways that he can take control of a situation.
Odysseus displays many leadership qualities during this epic The Odyssey. Over the course of the novel, Odysseus has had many encounters with many different people, and in all cases he shows at least some leadership no matter what the outcome is. Some of the people and things that he has encountered are The Lotus eaters, Polyphemus and the Cyclops.
One of the first encounters that our hero Odysseus has is when he and his men are trapped in the Cyclops" cavern that is filled with waste, and abnormally large objects. Odysseus does many things during this part of the novel to show his leadership qualities. First, he observes the Cyclops" every action and notices what he does on a daily basis. Secondly he gains control over the other men that are trapped in the cave with him and orders them to perform certain tasks for him. Lastly he does what needs to be done without hesitation. For example, Odysseus notices that the Cyclops leaves his cave everyday to do things, during that time Odysseus ordered his men to grab large sticks and sharpen them. Finally when the Cyclops returns Odysseus takes the large sharpened stick and pokes the eye out of the Cyclops freeing him and his men. .
Another encounter where Odysseus displays vast amounts of leadership is when he meets the Lotus Eaters. He displays leadership here by ordering a few members from his crew to go out and meet the natives of an island. Those men end up finding that the Lotus Eaters are very friendly and that they are willing to give them honey sweet fruits. This all happened because Odysseus had command and control over his men to the extent where they will perform risky tasks for them. .
From only these two encounters, you can see what a great leader Odysseus is and how he never gives up trying even when the odds are against him.