What makes a good banking associate?

I already posted this in the IB forum, but realized that some of the best answers might come from those of you who have already exited to PE and might not see it, so reposting here as well.

I'd love to hear anecdotes about the great associates you've worked with, and what makes them someone you want on your deal team.

To the analysts, how can the associate best help you to do your job, especially in terms of the new MBA associate/2nd year rockstar analyst dynamic?

To the seasoned associates & above, how can an MBA best get up to speed so that he is actually adding value to your team?

What are some mistakes new associates make? (Besides the standard, acting like you are the boss of the 2nd year analysts from day 1).

It would also be great to also hear about work-from-home specifics - what's annoying, what's actually helpful, when do you need someone to cover for you, etc etc.

For context:
I'm starting as a post-MBA associate this summer in one of the firms/groups that is highly coveted on this site. I remember working last summer with analysts who were probably the smartest kids I've ever met, and as as summer associate I definitely took the tack of "I'm an analyst" and trying to do everything I could to take things off of their plate. I know that many MBAs come in acting like they know more than the 2nd year analyst who just cranked an RMT model - pissing everyone off and adding no value - and I tied to avoid that or even the appearance of that. Still, I did hear recently about the idea of the "Xth year analyst", where an MBA associate goes TOO FAR the other direction - almost sucking up to the analysts, but not help them get their job done.

I was hoping to get some advice on how to strike a good balance between the two extremes.

Def appreciate any and all advice.