What are some character traits that a great NCO/Leader should have? And do you have any advice you would like to share?

Be someone who is able to handle and make the hard decisions. Strive for more and try not to stay in your comfort zone. Push those around you, don't be their friend. This doesn't mean be too aggressive, but create an example of honesty, humility, and candidness. Fight for your soldiers, and your soldiers will respect the hell out of that. If you are not a some what seasoned teacher (or even learner), get out there and teach. Putting yourself in front of everyone and being confident in yourself, your abilities and your knowledge will speak volumes to the soldiers around you. (Seniors, peers, and subordinates, alike)

1LT (Join to see); Some essential character traits for a leader: Lead by example, Strive to inspire, Compassion, Respecting others more than one's self and, Loving others as one Loves one's self.

Advice: Treating your Soldiers like adults means allowing them to fail. It means allowing them to pay for their mistakes. This is part of "holding them accountable." It is also part of "taking care of the Soldiers." Taking care of people means helping them grow. Growth in adults means paying for honest mistakes and sometimes failing.

I thought I had already responded to this post, but may have it confused with another. As a military leader you have three and only three priorities.

The Mission
Preservation of Force
Troop Welfare

Where leaders get into trouble is that they make substitutions:

The Mission is not the same thing as the career, and sometimes in order to accomplish the mission you may have to kill your own career.

Preservation of Force is not the same thing as risk avoidance. A force that is not used for fear of loss is not a force. It is just a drain of resources.

Troop welfare is not the same thing as troop happiness or popularity with the troops. The single biggest complement I ever got was from a Marine who wrote me a letter. He told me that he still thinks I was a hard ass SOB whom he did not like one bit, because of all the "unnecessary" gun drill I made the crew-served weapons do every week, but he's pretty sure that he and many of his men are alive because as a GySgt he was a hard ass SOB about doing a lot of "unnecessary" gun drill before going to Iraq.

As retired SFC I can tell you. That one of the top traits is HONESTY. Always be honest to your soldiers and admit when you are wrong. Soldiers will know when his leaders are lying. Always put yourself in their shoes and remember when you started as a private what you was expecting of your NCO’s. Always treat your. Soldier hard but be affair to all of them and don’t become their friends. Remember you are now a leader. Good Luck

The Army Ethos are still the best, every NCO should follow those and practice what you preach. Tyhe ranks are filled with hypocrites.

Be honest, be loyal and be fair. Hypocrisy breeds in the "shades of gray" approach to leadership. Be "black and white". Know your soldiers...really know them. Names of spouses and children, current events or issues effecting their lives. Don't rely on email as your primary form of communication. Make orders and announcements face to face. This establishes your leadership in the eyes of your soldiers and they'll connect you with having the solutions to all life's problems. Last, your word is your bond and ABSOLUTE! Even if it means a potential setback in your career. You don't leave your people behind on the battlefield, so don't dessert them in the First Sergeant's office either.

Embrace The Suck and learn to Get Bitched at. Eventually learn from the mistake and either use it as a Constructive Trait

A great leaders knows how to be in charge and also be equal when needed.
Doing so allows those who follow you respect you