EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP WITHIN AFFILIATE MANAGEMENT DOES NOT DEMAND PERFECTION. RATHER, AN OUTSTANDING LEADER PROPERLY INCENTIVIZES AFFILIATES, PROVIDING THEM THE SPACE TO LEARN FROM BOTH THEIR MISTAKES AND TRIUMPHS. YOUR AFFILIATES WILL COME TO TRUST THAT, WHEN THEY ENCOUNTER SETBACKS—AS THEY INEVITABLY WILL—YOU ARE THERE TO GUIDE THEM TOWARDS IMPROVEMENT. AS YOU CONTEMPLATE THE ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES AND CORE COMPETENCIES YOU WISH TO HAVE IN AN AFFILIATE MANAGEMENT PARTNER, UNDERSTAND THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THE NECESSARY SKILLS FOR THE ROLE ARE CHARACTER AND COMPETENCE.