Why Project Management Interests Me

I see project management as enabler of success in a Software Engineering project. I have seen myself evolve as a project manager over last five years. Project Management interests me for various reasons. This is a profession that lets me 'make things happen' on a daily basis through project team.
Interestingly I personally do not like the word 'Manager'. It conveys mediocrity is what I believe. The word manager brings to my mind picture of a person who is trying to survive the day. That is not what excites me. I think words Project Guide or Captain convey more appropriately the expectations from Project Manager role.
Now coming back to what makes me excited about project management profession - This role provides wonderful opportunity to add value to the project in ways that are not possible in individual contributor's role. I get an opportunity to create the right culture in the team based on fairness and merit. This would ensure team is set up for success.
Project Management is a combination of Science and Art. Science part comes in planning, earned value calculation, critical path analysis etc. Then comes the Art part. Project Management is an essay in balancing act. A great project manager will intuitively know when to show his frustration and when to let things take it's own course. He would know when to appreciate his team member in public and when to admonish in private. He would know how to moderate response to each and every situation, issue and risk. He knows how much pressure of Client to let percolate to the team. He would know when to get deeper and when to look at the big picture. He knows how not to be a micro manager but ensure tasks are tracked to completion.
I could go on listing down situations that I see on a daily basis which demand very balanced and moderated response from me. And these situations demand varied qualities from a manager. These make project management so much of an Art.
To be a great project manager one needs to master both Science and Art part of it. And it is a tall order. This is why Project Management interests me.