What makes a good consultant?

I have been doing consulting since 1997 and have found that there are certain characteristics that make up a good consulting mind. I have also found that many people do not have these skills. I write this due to working with someone who does not have the skills to be successful in this business. The number one reason some people cannot be consultants is that they do not know how to listen. Listening is a lost art today. We always want to be listened to but most people have a hard time really listening. Now my definition of listening is not just from a one-to-one conversation. I also mean listening to people body language, facial expressions and storing away what you are hearing. I have a hard time remembering certain things so I always carry a writing tablet. I cannot live without it. I have to have it. That is how I really listen. I like to write down as much as I can and then go back and "relisten" to what I wrote. I have also bought a PocketPC with a microphone so I can also record thoughts, meetings and other discussions. Why rely on a single listen when you can have multiple listens?