what does it take to be a successful cl?

Ramza nailed it with Caring.  But one of the other things not really mentioned here is dont treat your members like mushrooms (Kept in the dark and fed bullshit).

Give everyone a good gaming experience, and make them part of something unique where they are part of an actual family and not cattle, and you'll find members that embrace their roles in the family.  Take the time to get to know your members, shoot the shit.  Know that member X has a new puppy, member Y's kid just graduated, member Z has a twin who drinks a little too much, and your new mademan absolutely owns you at CS:GO but you have a blast playing with him anyway. Personally mail them and say thanks every time they kick up money, even if its a thug kicking up his first 10k. Let them know and feel that the work they do actually counts for something bigger.

And if you ain't the social type, that's fine, but your RHM/LHM/Sponsors sure better be, or else your members are only there to exist for themselves. Its easy to back stab a faceless entity, but you'll fight to the bitter end for someone you give a shit about.