What soft skills are must-haves for product managers in your experience?

• Curiosity - Product Managers need to be curious. Good PMs will always want to know 'why' or explore the problem a customer is facing. Being open to alternative solutions as well as having a Plan B for when things don't go to plan ... Product Managers need to be able to think in assumptions and hypotheses, and test accordingly. 
• Communication - Well developed communication and influencing skills are critical for Product Managers. We work with a wide range of stakeholders with a different interests, which makes tailoring our communications and influencing skills (without authority) an indispensable skill.

Here's one that I don't think gets enough love: humility.

Product people are very smart*, and it takes a lot of confidence to say no to a series of good ideas just so you can get to a great one. Very smart, confident people aren't always the most humble.

Humility, though, is a key trait as a PM or Product leader. Product work is inexact, and big misses happen. A PMs ability to recognize their missteps early, acknowledge them with the team, and set things on the right course will save time, bandwidth, and a lot of team pain. I've seen PMs that have their teams banging their head against the wall on the wrong problem or solution just because it was their idea. 

Humble PMs are more effective and better at driving alignment, and humility is one of the easier soft skills to screen for in the interview process. This is a must-have for me.

*usually, anyway

The three important soft-skills for product managers to cultivate in their careers are:

1. Communication (writing, public speaking, persuasion, listening): Product managers need to convey their ideas clearly, actively listen, gain support and key various teams and departments. Strong communication skills help in conveying product vision, requirements, and feedback; some tips to getting better at communication:

   1. Practice writing on a regular basis and seek feedback from colleagues who are good in this area

   2. Volunteer to help with big presentations and product reviews

   3. Join toastmasters club or take an improv class to work on public speaking skills

   4. Participate in peer groups that review books well-written documents, presentations, etc

   5. Read books, listen to audio books, or follow podcasts on communication skills

2. Relationships - As product managers work closely with stakeholders, designers, engineers, marketers, and other team members, fostering strong relationships is key in facilitating effective teamwork and cross-functional alignment; some tips to build strong relationships:

   1. Socialize and connect at a personal level. by inviting folks to grab coffee or lunch, inquire about their hobbies, interests, etc

   2. Prioritize regular 1:1 meetings to foster open communication and understanding

   3. Attend networking events, join relevant communities or groups, and seek mentorship opportunities

3. Emotional Intelligence - Emotional intelligence helps in influencing, collaborating and managing teams with empathy and understanding. PMs need to understand their own emotions, as well as those of others, to navigate interpersonal dynamics, build effective relationships, and handle conflicts; some tips to build strong emotional intelligence:

   1. Participate in support and user research calls to better understand users' or customers’ challenges

   2. Offer a listening ear and express empathy when colleagues are facing difficulties

   3. Build trust by consistently following through on commitments

   4. Seek feedback from trusted colleagues or mentors to gain insights into how your emotions and behaviors impact others

   5. Approach conflicts with a calm and composed demeanor and focus on resolving them

1. Communication! Verbal, Written, and often forgotten but equally important: Non-verbal. Yes, even on Zoom.

2. Ability to read context and act accordingly

3. Strategic thinking. Know the difference between strategy and tactics.

4. Systems thinking vs Design thinking, be proficient in both, know when to apply each

5. Treat everyone as your customer. Sometimes it means the "right to refuse service". Make that exceedingly rare.

There are some soft skills that are a must to be a good product manager:

1. Communication: As product manager, your first job is to communicate the 'why', 'what', and 'how' to many people who needs to be involved to make it happen. Product is at the center of the organization, and the product manager is responsible for communicating what the focus is, what should be prioritized, and what we should say no to. They need to explain to different stakeholders various aspects of the product in a way that achieves alignment. Therefore, the message needs to be very clear.
   

2. Agility and Adaptability: We are living in a dynamic pace where everything can change very frequently. Product managers need to shift priorities in order not to waste time on items that are realized to be less of a priority.
   

3. Focus and Time Management Ability: There is always so much to do - writing specs, measuring value and impact, sitting with R&D. There is a need to focus and prioritize time effectively, concentrating on the important and urgent tasks.
   

4. Humility: A good product manager should also possess humility. Part of that is the ability to be open to feedback, acknowledging that there is always more to learn and realizing when there is a need to shift priorities or say 'no' to bad ideas, which not solving a real pain.
   
   The other skills that are also part of the PM work are - strategic thinking, execution-driven, decision-making, and leadership.