In my opinion, the best leaders are top players. Honestly, leading shouldn't be overly time consuming; you can build your "personal core" while still leading. By "top players" I don't mean those ranked #1 in total points, but those that are the most active and selfless; BP will reflect that. A true leader has the skill set and the patience to teach and groom every player willing to listen. They also have the resolve to internally consume those that don't listen, participate, etc. Inactivity is the worst enemy you will face in this game. In most cases, if an alliance is full, they haven't done enough internalization and they are vulnerable. A leader that is doing well is loved by his/her alliance and somewhat or completely hated by the rest, but I just view that as the highest form of respect. That is the nature of this game. No need for a politician as a leader (they have an innate need to be loved by all), he/she just needs to be political enough to know who to keep close and who to push away.
