Odysseus Leadership Skills In Homer's The Odyssey Essay Example

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” John C. Maxwell’s words perfectly describe how Odysseus uses his traits to solve many problems. He has to face the difficulty of the Cyclops, the lotus flowers, Scylla, and Charybdis. In Homer’s The Odyssey, the protagonist Odysseus displays many leadership traits that impact his adventures including bravery, patience, strength, but among these traits, intelligence and care seem to be the most important. 

The first trait Odysseus possesses is intelligence which he displays in The Cyclops. In this episode, Odysseus uses his intelligence to help himself and his crew escape the Cyclops. The Cyclops had trapped him and his crew in its cave and ate two of them. Also, Odysseus and his men were trapped by a giant rock that only the Cyclops could move. Odysseus has to use his smarts to get out of it. “I drew on all my wits… until a trick came - and it pleased me well. The Cyclops’ rams were handsome, fat, with heavy fleeces, a dark violet”(571). In this quote, Odysseus comes up with the idea to hide under the large rams to escape the Cyclops’ cave. The Cyclops moves the rock and lets the rams out to eat, not knowing that the crew is hiding underneath. This shows that Odysseus is very smart and can make quick decisions. 

Another trait Odysseus shows is care. He displays this in many of the stories, but mostly in Scylla and Charybdis. In this story, Odysseus and his crew are sailing the seas when they get caught in a whirlpool. There is also Scylla and Charybdis to worry about, and the crew has to sail between the whirlpool and the monsters. Scylla starts to attack and Odysseus has to encourage his men. “Friends, have we never been in danger before? More fearsome, is it now, than when the Cyclops penned us in his cave? What power he had! Did I not use my nerve, and use my wits to find a way out for us?”(583). In this speech, Odysseus is caring for his men by telling them that they have faced worse and that they will get through this. Odysseus and his crew find their way out of the danger and row away. Odysseus displays his calm and careful mindset in this episode.

In this epic poem, Odysseus shows the traits of a leader. He uses his intelligence to get out of tough situations and always cares for his men. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus displays leadership traits of patience, strength, bravery, intelligence, and care. Overall, a true leader cares for the safety and well being of his followers. A leader uses his God-given gifts to help others.