In the most basic terms, the skills and attributes that produced success for the first two generations of community college leaders will be the skills and attributes required of those leading community colleges into the new millennium. The issues and the goals to be attained, however, will be somewhat different. This paper looks at the leadership traits, skills, and attributes necessary for effective leadership in the 21st century, and the strategies needed to prepare leaders for their emerging roles. It presents an incomplete list of traits that have been found in effective community college leaders, which can be learned and developed: vision; integrity; confidence; courage; technical knowledge; the ability to form partnerships; persistence; good judgment; and the desire to lead. The desired purpose of this list is to ensure that there is opportunity for learning and development. This paper also discusses some of the challenges and opportunities facing community college leaders in the new millennium: relevance in the global economy; new competition and the move toward privatization; distance education; competency-based programs; blurred mission boundaries; and new funding challenges. National, state, and local community college organizations should undertake efforts to identify, train, and mentor prospective leaders for community colleges in the coming millennium. (VWC)