Excellent topic. I've thought a lot about how I relate to my sub gf and how to be a good dominant. For me, personally, domming is an expansion of love, whether platonic or romantic. You have to know your sub, be their friend, above anything else. You have to listen, and communicate, because you're both just people in the end. It is incredibly important to take criticism, because despite your role you're a human being and can mess up.
I'm hardly a 24/7 domme and don't really see my BDSM as a lifestyle, but I do feel some incredible connections when I dom my gf. It's moments like that that drive me to improve as a domme for her.