[larrys]

The halo created around some of the people that exhibit the qualities you mention is a really powerful motivator.

The only thing I would add is the fact that you have to know all the players and all the buzz and buzz words.

You don't want to say "no I don't know who Fred Wilson is or who Mike Arrington or PG is etc. Or you're not up on what's going on in the startup community. (Which could happen with someone who has a killer track record from a different industry.) In other words you know the lay of the land.

[patio11]

you have to know all the players

I might suggest cough having the players know you. There's a famous line in Chicago politics: "Don't be sent by nobody" (An apocryphal applicant, on asking for a job at a local politician's office, was asked "Who sent you?" "Nobody." "Kid, one piece of advice: don't be sent by nobody.")

[wglb]

Or, in networking in general, it isn't so much who you know, it is who knows you.