Three soft skills that change everything

AI is taking over execution. The real advantage? How you work with people.

Ever notice how some people command attention in every meeting—without saying much?

They’re not the loudest in the room. They’re not forcing their opinions.

But when they speak, people listen.

Hard skills will get you in the door. As a PM, you need strong customer empathy, the ability to translate insights into great PRDs, and the discipline to execute with quality while making the right trade-offs.

But the people who truly stand out? They’re just as intentional about how they show up at work—whether in meetings, leadership discussions, or one-on-one conversations.

Here are three soft skills that make all the difference:

1. Being Truly Present

This might sound counterintuitive, but sometimes, the most impactful thing you can do in a meeting is stay silent.

When you focus entirely on the discussion—without multitasking, without drafting your next response—you instantly separate yourself from the 90% of people distracted by yet another IM. People notice when you’re fully engaged.

2. Reading the Room

If you’re truly present, you can adjust your approach in real time. This is critical—especially when presenting to senior leadership.

Imagine this: You spent hours perfecting a slide. But when you present, the exec glances at it, nods, and moves on.

Your instinct might be to walk them through it anyway—after all, you worked hard on it. But the room has already signaled alignment. Don’t waste time explaining. Instead, read the moment, acknowledge the alignment, and move forward.

3. Engaging Instead of Reacting

This one sounds simple but is hard to do in practice.

Negative feedback—especially when delivered directly—triggers a fight-or-flight response. The knee-jerk reaction is to defend yourself or shut down.

Don’t.

Instead, pause. Ask clarifying questions. Make sure you fully understand the feedback before responding with your perspective. For example:

Weak response: “I don’t agree. I think we did it the right way.”

Strong response: “Interesting—can you walk me through your perspective? I want to fully understand where you’re coming from.”

This shift in mindset turns feedback into a tool for growth rather than a source of friction.

AI is automating more execution-focused tasks, but soft skills? They’re only becoming more valuable.

Master these three, and you won’t just keep up—you’ll stand out.