Characteristics of a Master
Author Unknown
(note: this article is written to address Masters... but the concepts apply equally well to either gender.)

Acceptance…
Acceptance of self, what is within Yourself, what Your wants, needs and desires are. Acceptance of Your limitations and those of Your slave. The ability to accept another human being for the person T/they are, including T/their short comings, and especially to accept Your Own. Accepting what being a Master is to the individual and not being ashamed or intimidated by the needs within, but happy in Ones mind set.

Communication...
This is the ability to talk and discuss things. It is an integral part of any relationship, but an absolute necessity within a Master/slave relationship. A Master should have the skills to communicate His needs, wants, desires, fears, thoughts, limits, or whatever else comes along. The ability to talk also calls into play the honesty and truthfulness of the Master. Once communication is open, it should remain that way, and will do so provided the Master does not stop communicating honestly. To not communicate is to endanger Yourself physically (by not telling Your slave Your experience and other necessities) and emotionally.

Compassion...
The ability to see and at least attempt to understand the emotional aspects of Your slave's psyche. To understand and be aware of the multitude of things within reality that can affect a slave physically, emotionally, and mentally. To be able to apply that understanding to the many situations that arise within daily life that may prevent Your slave from serving to the best of her abilities. Using compassion wisely to allow You to aid your slave, supporting her during times of stress, shows that You are truly a well rounded Master. One who realizes that a Master and a slave are people too. Without compassion You are not a Master, only a sadist.

Courtesy...
Courtesy is the ability to show proper manners, pleases, and thank Y/you's. To address S/someone with a respectful tone of voice. A Master should show courtesy to His slave and other slaves around Him. Just because You are a Master does not give You the right to be rude or cruel. This includes courtesy to Your peers.

Grace...
Elegance in the manner a Master presents Himself is an important and desirable personality trait that many slaves say they prefer. The way a Master carries Himself, His style of play, no matter how graphic, should still flow with style and grace. His actions should not be overly hesitant, stilted, or confused. If this is lacking as an inherent ability, the Master should be willing to learn and grow in this area.

Dominance...
This is the most important trait in a Master. It is the inherent natural ability to lead. To exert control in a respectful, intelligent and humble manner. The strength of character which allows You to exert the control necessary in a power exchange relationship. The ability to care for another person's entire well being.

Honesty...
Honesty is the ability to speak up, to be open and truthful about what You say. A Master doesn't hide His emotions, fears, limits, fantasies, ideas, and thoughts. A Master doesn't tell His slave what He thinks the slave wants to hear. Honesty is the basis of trust, without it there is no trust. And without trust, there is no true relationship. A successful Master is an honest One, One who does not lie or attempt to deceive. One who is truthful when He speaks. Most importantly, a Master is honest about His level of experience; to lie is to endanger the very life of His slave.

Humility...
Humility is the ability to see Yourself as fallible. To see Yourself as a person, not just a Master. To see that sometimes in reality Your needs must be set aside for the better of the relationship. A successful Master knows He will make mistakes, that He is not perfect. A successful Master is always open to learning new things, and He does not harbor a "I know it all attitude". This brings into play "bullying". Bullying is using your status as a Master to push around Your slave without any thought for her well being. Bullying is a completely selfish action. A Master who consistently bullies His slave will turn the slave away from Him and lose the respect of His peers. Bullying shows a lack of humility, and can also mask a poor sense of self-esteem or a possible abusive person using the "lifestyle" to hide His abusive nature.

Self-Respect...
A successful Master values Himself, and respects His own limits. A bully does not thrill a slave. A solid sense of self-worth is a necessity for a successful Master. Lack of such, can cause serious damage to the slave's psyche. This, however, does not mean You should act like You are the universe's gift to Domination.

Intelligence...
Intelligence is the ability to learn the proper way of playing with the toys inherent in the "lifestyle" before using them on another person. The willingness and ability to research and learn about the "lifestyle" itself. The ability to take the time to learn their partner outside the roles of Domination and submission, to learn her as the person that she is, her likes and dislikes. The ability to learn what pleases His slave and to remember those things. The successful Master should take the time to know the physical as well as the psychological tools of Domination, along with some basic psychological aspects of His slave (knowledge should grow as people change constantly). There is nothing uglier than seeing an ignorant Master trying to use humiliation as a tool of dominance. Humiliation is a difficult tool that requires maturity, intelligence, and skill.

Patience...
A successful Master has patience. The ability to wait for things. This does not mean You have to be lax or soft, but to learn the proper time to push and the proper time not to. It is also the ability to wait for those things which take time to develop and to learn, especially within Yourself. To realize that it takes time for a slave to learn all the intricacies of serving You, and to have the patience to teach Your slave what You prefer.

Pride...
Pride is the ability to know Your capacities, and realize that You are not only a good person, but also a good Master. Pride is the ability to recognize Your own strengths. This does not mean You should be close-minded to new ideas, nor does it mean You should be unaware of Your faults, or keep an inflated ego. Pride in Your Dominance is a beautiful thing. Arrogance, or false pride, is deadly. False pride usually masks insecurities which can be life threatening to the slave.

Respect...
A successful Master will show respect at all times, until such time as the slave proves she is unworthy of such respect. A disrespectful Master does not earn the respect of His peers or the slaves around Him. By giving respect to others, You earn it for Yourself.

Loyalty...
This is a very important trait in a successful Master. It is the ability to uphold Your personal honor and remain true to the agreement between You and Your slave should the agreement be one of monogamy, or something else. Fickleness is a very unattractive trait in a Master, and dangerous to the emotional well being of the slave who serves Him.

Service...
A successful Master serves His slave by and through His domination of her. By intelligently applying His dominant nature, and meeting the physical and emotional needs of His slave, the successful Master mutually serves the slave. A successful Master remembers that without a slave, there is no such thing as a Master. To receive the submission of a slave is a precious gift. The successful Master will therefore cherish that gift, and do His best to uphold it and not abuse it. This is the key to an exchange of power relationship.