In the first sentence "это" means neither it nor this. However crazy it may sound to you the closest English translation of "это" in the first sentence is "are": "Kind, friendly, frank are positive traits of character".
The second sentence doesn't have a sense. Or at least it demands to be continued. For example:
"Добрый, дружеский, искренний - эти положительные черты характера присущи моему другу Васе.