Odysseus is a good leader because he is willing to keep his eyes on the goal no matter what. He does not allow himself to be seduced or distracted from his course perpetually, whether he is on Calypso's island or tempted by the song of the sirens. He takes his responsibilities seriously.

Odysseus also cares about his men, never seeing his life as being of more worth than theirs and always remaining loyal to them. He isn't only worried about getting himself back home; he wants to make sure all his sailors are able to return to their families as well. Even when some of his men eat the enchanted lotus petals and claim they do not care to return home, Odysseus physically forces them onto the ship because he knows what is best for them and that they are being influenced.

Another reason Odysseus is an ideal leader is that he is intelligent. While he is physically powerful, his brain tends to get him out of more scrapes than his sword arm does. He was the one who thought of the Trojan Horse. He was the one who found out how to trick and then incapacitate the Cyclops when it captured some of his men.

Interestingly, Odysseus's willingness to mature and change also makes him a great leader. While he is a bit arrogant at times (his boasting as to who he is to the Cyclops, for instance), he grows in humility as he undertakes his journey. This comes to his aid when he disguises himself as a beggar in his own home, and he has to take the insults of Penelope's suitors before taking his chance to get them away from his wife for good.

Odysseus is a good leader for many reasons, but he is not at all perfect. His flaws are profound, and they cause a lot of problems for him and for his men, but somehow, his imperfections humanize him—enhancing his leadership abilities rather than negate them altogether. For example, he is able to outwit the Cyclops and save his surviving crew members from death by the man-eating Polyphemus, but he is so proud of his own accomplishment, he brags to the Cyclops about his identity; this display of hubris invites punishment and danger, to him and to his crew when Poseidon, the Cyclops's father, avenges his son. Though everyone suffers for Odysseus's excessive pride, it is likely that the crew see Odysseus as a man capable of mistakes, just like them, and his humanity may inspire them and make his heroic qualities feel like they are in reach for every man.

As well, Odysseus is well-remembered for his wit and cunning, both of which enable him to be an excellent strategist. His ability to devise clever plans quickly saves lives, while also contributing to his reputation as a war hero. Odysseus's abilities often precede him, so the fact that he is known as a good leader simply feeds itself, bringing more opportunities for Odysseus to prove himself in this way.

Odysseus is a good leader because he is clever, brave, and he cares about the men whom he leads.  When his men are trapped in Polyphemus's cave, Odysseus tells the Cyclops that his name is "Nobody"; that night, he gets the monster really drunk and then the crew blinds the monster when he's passed out.  Then, when the other Cyclopes rush to his aid, he calls to them that Nobody is hurting him.  So they leave!  It is a good plan, and Odysseus is very cunning in his execution of it.

Further, Odysseus bravely goes to the Underworld to find the prophet, Teiresias, who can tell him and his crew how to get home.  Despite his own terror, he is successful here.  He also leads his crew past the Sirens, bravely leaving his ears unstopped so that he can hear their songs.  He even sails past Scylla, knowing that he could be one of the six men the monster eats.  If more of his men would have ultimately listened to his leadership (especially at Thrinacia), it seems likely that some of them might have actually made it home.

Finally, Odysseus really cares about the men he leads.  At the land of the lotus-eaters, three of his men eat the lotus and no longer wish to return home.  He physically drags each one back to the ship because he knows that, in their hearts, they still want to return to their families.  Then, after Elpenor dies at Circe's house, his spirit asks Odysseus to return and dispose of his body correctly, which Odysseus does out of respect for his crew member.  Odysseus doesn't seem to look on his men as just a crew to be managed but as individuals who matter and deserve the best he can give them.

How does Odysseus show leadership skills in the Land of the Dead?

Odysseus demonstrates admirable leadership skills during his journey to the land of the Cimmerians. Knowing the inherent dangers of the voyage they are about to undertake, he validates the fears and anxieties held by his crewmen by crying with them as they set sail. One could say that by being unafraid to express emotion—acknowledging their shared humanity—Odysseus strengthens his bond with crew. This act of solidarity serves to bolster their spirits.

After successfully navigating to the land of the dead, he demonstrates respect for Circe by following her instructions to the letter: pouring out a libation, sacrificing two sheep, and promising to honor the souls of the dead with an even finer sacrifice when he returns to Ithaca. A good leader knows how to take as well as give advice.

A good leader possesses excellent skills in diplomacy, which Odysseus demonstrates as the dead surge forward, drawn to the smell of the sacrificial blood. Although a former crewmate, Elpenor, as well as Achilles, Agamemnon, and the spirit of Odysseus' departed mother are among the great throng of dead souls, Odysseus refuses to let them partake in the sacrifice until the prophet Teiresias has had his fill. Teiresias then rewards him with a prophecy—one whose ultimate outcome depends on the successful completion of further tasks and sacrifices. Instead of balking at the investiture of time and resources that these will require, Odysseus calmly accepts the prophet’s pronouncement, knowing how to weigh its risks and benefits, as well as its positive and negative aspects. A good leader knows the difference between action and reaction.

Where action is concerned, a good leader, especially one who commands an army, also knows when to retreat. As more dead swarm about him, overwhelmed by their number and demands, Odysseus has an epiphany: no matter how fraught with hardships, he decides that he prefers life to an existence in the spirit realm, and successfully leads his men back to the world of the living.

In these adventures, how does Odysseus show himself to be an effective leader?

Among other things, an effective leader is someone who makes tough decisions and sticks by them. There are numerous instances of this throughout the Odyssey. One of the most striking comes when Odysseus and his crew encounter the dreaded Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla is a fearsome six-headed monster; Charybdis a giant whirlpool. Yet somehow Odysseus must navigate his ship between them. There's no way of avoiding them; he must choose to sail close to one or the other. Odysseus is presented with a terrible dilemma. If he sails too close to Scylla, then it's an absolute certainty that a number of his crew will perish. However, if he opts to sail near Charybdis, then he risks losing the entire ship and everyone on board.

So Odysseus sails close to Scylla and, as expected, loses some of his crew. Yet the ship has been saved, and so Odysseus is able to continue his epic voyage with his remaining men. Odysseus has shown that being a leader sometimes involves making tough choices and that it's important to accept their often unpleasant consequences in order to achieve one's overriding goals.

In these adventures, how does Odysseus show himself to be an effective leader?

One of the best places to see the different qualities of Odysseus is when he's in Polyphemus's cave. He is cornered there with his men, and they are all eventually going to be eaten if he can't find a way out. Odysseus comes up with a plan, off the top of his head, to get Polyphemus to fall asleep (wine) and then blind him. They are trapped inside because the door is a gigantic rock that none of his men can roll. Only Polyphemus can move it for them. So he is smart enough not to kill the cyclops, but blind him. Tricking Polyphemus into drinking the wine, sharpening the huge tree trunk into a spear, and then successfully driving it into the eye of the cyclops shows not only guile but strength and leadership.

The last idea he came up with there was tying his men under sheep to escape when Polyphemus let his sheep out to graze. He would never feel the men, only the tops of the sheep. These intelligent plans and then the carrying out of them shows great leadership. He was very effective in getting the majority of his men out of there, when in any other situation, most of the men would die in there and never get out.