Jonathan Archer
Yeah, it’s Scott Bakula time. Jonathan Archer was the first great captain of Starfleet fame and became such after following in the footsteps of his father, Henry. The legacy he brought with him was profound and the expectations high. He was able to live up to those expectations when he became the first captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise and the first captain of a warp five capable ship. There was a huge expectation for the fledging ship among the Federation. The right person had to be picked for the chair.
Boy, did they get that one right? Archer spent his first year dealing with foreign relations, namely the Vulcans. Having to navigate their stingy and abrasive, yet emotionless personalities, made it apparent that Archer was not one to be easily swayed. He was a man of conviction and integrity and wouldn’t let a bunch of old Vulcans sway him.
There was also his ability to handle conflict management with the Andorians and Vulcans. Showing a depth of understanding of the conflict and was even able to sympathize with the Andorians, at the time a rival of Starfleet, in their dealings with a Starfleet ally in the Vulcans. Yet, at the end of the day, both the Vulcans and Andorians would join the Federation; showing that Archer knew how to handle friend and foe alike.
He was also a master tactician, handling and winning the war with the Xindi and managing to deal with a temporal cold war. No other captain has shown his versatility as a leader so quickly. Which is what makes Archer a primed candidate for civil service at the highest level.