Here is a good article about the 7 Must Have Project Management skills. I really liked the way that it is explained and I believe that these skills are Must Haves for a successful Project Manager.
The skill No. 6 “Recognize and solve problems quickly” rang a bell. I do agree that a Project Manager should be able to see and resolve a problem quickly. However, what I think is a better skill to have is to be able to predict a particular problem or risk before it happens, work on it pro-actively, and nip the problem in the bud.
The difference here is between a Hero and a Silent Achiever. A Hero might be seen as one who goes in a helicopter, stoops low and douses the bush fire. The Silent Achiever is one who realized that the atmosphere is dry and hot, predicted the bush fire and cut the grass / poured water on the field to ensure that the bush fire does not occur. So, for the casual observer, it seems to be Business as usual and the effort put in by the Silent Achiever is not usually noticed.
All said and done, each person has his place. It takes a lot of hard work to be a hero and a lot more to be a silent achiever. Keep your eyes open and make sure to applaud the Silent Achievers as well.
Cheers,
Sampath Prahalad, Snr Project Manager at One Dot.