[April 07, 2014] Leadership comes in many forms and leadership can stand for either good or evil. Generally, senior executive leaders profiled here have benefited or helped millions of people. This is what we normally think about when we think of leadership. 
Joseph Stalin (1879-1953), leader of the Soviet Union, can be described as one of the most evil in the last century – if measured in the death and destruction. Stalin pulled his country from a third world nation into the industrialized world benefiting many but also killing tens of millions of his people.
The fact that this destruction is largely ignored today is probably because he was both a socialist and was on “our side” during World War II.
Some of his leadership characteristics were:
- Power-hungry (megalomaniac)
- Narcissistic (had the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution written history changed to provide a more prominent role for himself)
- Intelligent (had an amazing ability to absorb detailed information)
- Unemotional
- Disciplined
- Paranoid and obsessed
Some of his quotes are provided here to help understand him:
“It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.” – Joseph Stalin
“One death is a tragedy; one million is a statistic.” – Joseph Stalin
“Death solves all problems – no man, no problem.” – Joseph Stalin
“The only real power comes out of a long rifle.” – Joseph Stalin
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Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Stalin
Personality Cult: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalin%27s_cult_of_personality
More historical information: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/stalin_joseph.shtml