One minus is that Mr. Jackson works all hours of the day and night, often driving his staff to distraction and himself to exhaustion. (He has been hospitalized several times for fatigue, which is exacerbated because he carries the trait for sickle-cell anemia.) Another is that his Presidential campaigns have been notoriously disorganized. When it was revealed this fall that he had signed an endorsement contract with the Allied Education Corporation, his staff was caught unaware. One key adviser said there had been no discussion between Mr. Jackson and members of his staff before the contract was signed, no consideration of the potential risks or embarrassment, not even a whisper over whether the schools merited Mr. Jackson's endorsement. ''There is no infrastructure,'' said the adviser.

Mr. Jackson's half brother, Noah Ryan Robinson, says that the campaign's troubles stem from Mr. Jackson's reluctance to surround himself with strong staff members. ''Since Jesse prizes loyalty so highly, he will have people around him that adore him but can't get it done,'' says Mr. Robinson.

Just two weeks ago, Mr. Jackson - who attributes his campaign difficulties to limited funds - moved to address his organization's weakness by making Mr. Austin, who ran two successful campaigns for Gov. Richard F. Celeste of Ohio, his new campaign manager. He also appointed Willie Brown, Speaker of the California Assembly, his campaign chairman. Mr. Jackson says that he is constantly reaching out for opinions, and lately has consulted, among others, the investment banker Felix G. Rohatyn and the political consultant David Garth (who remain uncommited in the race), and Carol O'Cleireacain, chief economist at District Council 37, the New York City public employees union, who has become Mr. Jackson's top economic adviser.

But ultimately, Mr. Jackson still relies very much on his own instincts. ''At some point,'' he says, ''leadership by committee is not strong leadership.''

BUT WHERE WILL HE chose to lead?

Jesse Jackson could arrive at the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta next July with more delegates than any other candidate. Most political analysts give him little chance of being nominated - partly because he is black, partly because of his unretrenched liberalism. While he argues that he would be accepted as the front-runner if he were white, it is also possible that his race gives him an edge -that his politics, personal flamboyance and campaign flaws would long since have forced another candidate out of the race.

As any serious candidate would, Mr. Jackson insists that he can be nominated and elected President. But he has also said that he would consider the Vice Presidency or a position as ''special envoy'' to negotiate peace in Central America. He remains ambiguous about his ultimate goal.

Less than a month ago, Mr. Jackson was asked to define himself. Without missing a beat, he offered up a stream of images, touching on Martin Luther King, the late Congressman Adam Clayton Powell of Harlem, even Moses. And himself. For black people, he said, he wants to be ''someone who can sit on television and argue their case.''