Emperor Qin Shihuangdi, of the Qin dynasty, was an autocratic leader and practitioner of legalism. Legalism put a high premium on order, stability, and consolidation of power, rather than more moral elements, such as maximizing the well-being of citizens and the proper administration of justice.
One word to describe Shihuangdi's leadership style would be autocratic. He governed as supreme ruler of China, and created bureaucracies in an attempt to govern all facets of public life. He administered infrastructure projects, usurped and redistributed land, and perhaps most notably, was brutal towards any form of dissent, employing government spies all over China to monitor his subjects, killing and imprisoning many.