What skills are most important to have as an employee and as a manager in this industry?

I would say the most important thing is the ability to take criticism well without getting defensive, even invite it, and examine yourself to determine how you can improve.  Ultimately, success is all about pushing yourself to improve and improvement can only happen if you’re open and honest with yourself about your weaknesses.  Also, you need to be able to learn from other people and seek out their advice.  Nothing is worse than working with someone who is insecure and defensive.  People who act like that often doom themselves to mediocrity or failure as they can prevent themselves from undergoing the growth that is necessary for them to become successful.  Just be enthusiastic, eager to listen to advice (even if you think you already know it), and ask your colleagues to critique your work and offer suggestions for improvement.  A great attitude goes a long, long way.  Even if you fail at something, people will be a lot more willing to overlook it if you are honest about it and maintain a good attitude.  Bad attitude, know-it-all mentality, apathy, pride, and stubbornness are the traits most directly to cause your failure.