Your own barometer is all you have to go by, and often what makes a good director is knowing when not to say something. On occasions you can find yourself on a film set where the person who is wearing the director's hat is only trying to justify his position.
A good director creates an environment, which gives the actor the encouragement to fly.
I think that it helps that I have acted. That said, it doesn't mean you're going to be a good director.
I suppose a good director is like a teacher. I think that someone like David Cronenberg was very much like a teacher, because there's an openness, but a certain set of rules of behavior, and a certain conduct expected. But there's an atmosphere that's relaxed and conducive to exploration, and that is created by someone like Cronenberg.
Any good director, and I've worked with a few that I would call very good, they know how to disarm any anxieties very quickly.
A lot of directors don't know what they want to do. Every director I've seen that was a good director that I've admired knew exactly what he wanted to do. They didn't sit there and think about it.
Matching character and actor is what a good director does.
There are things that I would avoid, so I have the choice to say no, when I feel I'm repeating myself too much. But then there could be a reason to do that with a good director. So I think actors have to have a loose philosophy.
A good director has to be a captain - he has to work with a lot of people every day.
No director wants to be directed, but no good director... would shy away from the good ideas of others.