In this article I do not propose to ‘describe and discuss’ the catalogue of desirable qualities that teachers at all levels should ideally possess but to concentrate on what seem to me some of the attributes needed especially by those entering the higher education sector and in particular the polytechnics. These attributes are, I am sure, different not so much in kind but only in degree from those of all teachers. I make no claim to objectivity. The observations made are based on some years' experience in both a college of further education and a technical college and during the last three years at the Polytechnic, Wolverhampton, on organizing the induction course for new staff and running a modest in‐service course for new staff without training for teaching or previous teaching experience.