A Comparison of Leadership Abilities of Odysseus in Odyssey and Aeneas in Aeneid

Peter Drucker said, “Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results, not attributes.” Homer proves this point in The Odyssey, which is an epic poem, and the main character is Odysseus. Odysseus is on his way back from the Trojan War and everyone returns back to Ithaca beside him, he is being held against his will, by Calypso, on Ogygia. He soon will be faced with problems that come about all because of himself. Some people like Odysseus are not fit to be a leader because he is arrogant, foolish, and a liar.

One hundred eyes are staring at someone, judging their every move. They cannot give too many orders, but they also have to show authority. Trying to find this balance is what makes some people leaders, and others followers. In Homer's epic, The Odyssey, the reader follows the character, Odysseus, through his struggles to get home. While reading this epic, some may say he is a brave and selfless leader. Most will say he is actually careless, and unthoughtful in his decision making. Odysseus is a careless leader, one who only looks after himself and does not care about others feelings, even his own family members.

Built-in qualities such as intelligence, good looks, height and so on are not necessary to become a good leader. Anyone can cultivate the proper leadership qualities. In order to excel in their leadership a good leader must possess qualities such as self awareness, courage, confidence, innovation, fairness, openness, and dedication among others. Odysseus in The Odyssey, and Samuel, Saul and David in the Books of Samuel, display these characters. However, at some occasions they fail to do so. That is to say, leaders, being it great or small, chosen by God or people, are not completely perfect.

“If Zeus is willing, we may hit Odysseus, Carry off the glory!” (22.265-266). I don’t want give what’s happening away but... In the poem The Odyssey translated by Homer, Odysseus the protagonist is trying to get back home after the great war of Troy, and to see his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. But first he must be a good leader and get himself and his crew home.

In Homer's The Odyssey Odysseus can be seen as a terrible leader. This point can be very easily seen from the many fails of his pirating career. One may also see him as a very strong and good leader, but what are the major points for this belief? For example, one episode that his good leadership is shown is when Odysseus saves his men from complete destruction on the Cyclopes island. He helped his men escape from the cannibal ways of Polyphemus by tying them to the underside of goats, "and with that threat he let my ram go free outside." (9.515). Odysseus even gets his men out to their ship safely, ". . . and a welcome sight we were to loyal comrades- we who'd escaped our deaths." (9.520-521). Another episodic example is when Odysseus helped

Leadership. It is a trait that is valued in almost any form of society. Whether it be leadership in the workplace or leadership on the battlefield, leadership is a prized capability for people. But, according to Colin Powell, this valued leadership trait can be lost at the hands of the followers of that leader. If these followers no longer trust their leader with their problems, then that person is no longer their leader. And, this statement does have some validity. While the raw talents of a leader are valuable to a group, ultimately, the success of the leader is contingent on whether or not the leader acknowledges and includes his followers. Therefore, Powell’s point is agreeable to a large extent, as it is imperative that the followers not only

Odysseus was a great leader who was concerned only for the welfare of his men.

Traits that leaders possess honesty, selflessness, morals, physical and mental strength, forethought, and many more traits. A leader guides their men and women to success. Odysseus does not fit this definition. Odysseus is not a good leader because he didn’t not lead his men to victory, he wasn’t honest to his men, and he cheated on his wife during the journey. This has relevance to this day and age because we have people who are put in position of leadership that make really questionable decisions.

A leader and a great leader have two very different meanings, but are seperated by one word. A leader is defined as someone who commands a group. A great leader is defined as an above average person who commands a group. Odysseus falls under the category of a great leader. He does everything he can to save his men, even if it hurts himself. He knows what information he can give to his men, and what he shouldn’t, because he wants to keep their hopes up. He also doesn’t give up even when times are rough.

According to The Odyssey, “‘But if you raid the beeves, I see destruction for ship and crew’” (Hom. Od. 12. 104-105).

In the Odyssey, Odysseus is an amazing leader. However, he wasn’t always a prodigious leader. He had to spend 20 years at sea and in unexplored lands. Because of his actions, he stirred up anger in Poseidon and in return, Poseidon cursed Odysseus and all that assist him. Though Odysseus is now a great leader, he wasn’t always the best he could be.

Throughout the epic The Odyssey, Homer narrates the trying journey of Odysseus and his men as they try to go back to Ithaca after the Trojan War has ended. Through the narrative the reader sees many examples of Odysseus’s true nature as leader, and, like any mortal man, he has his strengths and weaknesses. Although Odysseus occasionally shows signs of poor leadership, such as arrogance and the tendency to miscommunication, he also exhibits redeeming qualities like confidence and dedication.

“Ultimately, leadership is not about glorious crowning acts. It’s about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it, especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter. It is about laying the groundwork for others’ success, and then standing back and letting them shine.” -Chris Hadfield Being a leader consists of honesty, integrity and respect, yet Odysseus struggles to show these skills. There are many examples to prove that Odysseus is not an effective leader. Even though Odysseus returns to Ithaca, he showed poor leadership skills on his journey. Odysseus is not an strong leader because he is secretive with his men, he is very careless, and he is very gullible.

     A comparison between Virgil's hero, Aeneas, and the Homeric heroes, Achilles and Odysseus, brings up the question concerning the relevance of the difference between the Homeric heroes and Aeneas. The differences in the poets' concerns are explained by the fact that Virgil lived many years after Homer, giving Virgil the advantage of a more developed literary and philosophical society than Homer had at his disposal. But the question remains: how are the differences between the Homeric heroes and Aeneas relevant to the epic at large? This question will be answered by first pointing out the differences between Greek and Roman society, then explaining

Compare Aeneas and Odysseus in Their Role As Leaders And Prospective Hero's? Virgil's 'Aeneid' and Homer's 'Odyssey' are two very different stories, told from opposing viewpoints: that of the Trojans in 'The Aeneid,' and of the Greeks in 'The Odyssey.' The two leaders, Aeneas and Odysseus, that feature are therefore very different in their approach to leadership. However, despite their differences they both rise to the challenges set to them as true leaders.