Bearing in mind that my understanding of how everything works around here is in its infancy to say the least, but in all other circumstances a good chair has the following characteristics at the very least:

- Ability to keep discussion on topic, redirecting it to the point as necessary, forcibly if needed.
- Ability to remain impartial during discussions, so as to facilitate them and not to participate in them or use their position to grandstand.
- Ability to bring disputes under control and not to escalate them.
- Organisational ability to ensure that any discussion results in action, if necessary, or is kept brief if no action is necessary.

Okay, that's all I can think of right now, but I am being distracted by my daughter refusing to eat her dinner, so...