The most common skill gap in aspiring product managers — and how to fix it
After mentoring 120+ aspiring product managers, I identified the #1 skill gap (and how to fix it)
Asha had everything going for her.
An MBA from a top business school. A background in marketing strategy. Certifications in Agile and product discovery. She was organized, curious, and eager to pivot into product management.
She nailed every mentorship assignment—crafting strategic roadmaps, writing precise user stories, even leading a mock stand-up with ease. But when it came time to present her roadmap to a lecture hall of 50+ peers?
She froze.
Her data was solid, her logic impeccable. But her message didn’t land. Her voice shook. Her narrative structure collapsed. She rushed through slides, eyes fixed downward. It wasn’t knowledge that failed her, it was confidence.
That's when it clicked for me.
After mentoring over 120 aspiring product managers, both through MBA programs and private 1:1 sessions, I noticed a clear, singular pattern. The most common skills gap wasn’t technical or strategic, it was about presence and persuasion.
TL;DR
- Confidence unlocks careers: Aspiring PMs often possess the technical skills but falter under pressure due to low confidence when presenting.
- T-shaped talent isn’t enough: Even highly skilled professionals struggle to "own the room."
- Practice bridges the gap: Structured practice dramatically boosts persuasive communication skills.
- Product managers must become storytellers: Effective product managers inspire stakeholders into action through clarity and charisma.
- Influence equals ownership: True product management is about rallying belief around your vision.
The common thread: T-shaped but tongue-tied
This wasn't an isolated event.
In mentoring roles across my private 1:1 mentoring course (30+ mentees globally) and coaching students transitioning into product manager roles at Oxford’s Saïd Business School (100+ participants), a strikingly consistent pattern emerged.
These were qualified candidates who already had:
- Agile and Scrum familiarity
- Cross-functional experience
- Deep industry knowledge
- Strong product instincts
Yet, overwhelmingly, they struggled with:
- Presenting confidently
- Translating data into compelling narratives
- Communicating clearly with stakeholders
They were T-shaped—but tongue-tied.
What the data shows
To quantify this, I surveyed 72 MBA students pursuing product management post-graduation at Oxford Saïd, Cambridge Judge, LBS, and Imperial College, alongside 25 current or former private mentees (17 junior-level and 8 senior-level product managers). The results reinforced what I'd seen in practice sessions:
Most common presentation mistakes (see Chart 1):
- Unclear structure: Almost half of my junior mentees (49%) and a number of senior mentees (19%) / MBA students (21%) presented with an unclear structure.
- Lack of narrative around data: Most prevalent among junior mentees (71%) and senior mentees (44%)
- MBA students (31%) seem to be the most prepared here due to experience with heavily narrative driven MBA application processes and previous roles as consultants.
- Low delivery confidence: Particularly high among junior mentees (52%).
- Overuse of jargon: MBA students (56%) displayed an overuse of jargon, possibly from previous experience in highly structured, framework, and case study-driven fields as well as their current status as business students.
- As product managers grow in their career, jargon tends to creep into their vernacular, leading to unnatural sounding speaking and writing language.
Chart 1
Public speaking comfort levels (see Chart 2):
- 59% of junior mentees indicated they were uncomfortable with public speaking.
- Almost 20% of junior mentees had never presented to stakeholders at all.
- 50%+ of all groups had never delivered a keynote (audience of 100+).
- 52%+ of all groups had never received any formal public speaking training.
Chart 2
Clearly, aspiring PMs were entering the job market deeply unprepared in communication and storytelling skills.
Why this matters more than ever
There’s a common misconception about product management: that it’s all about process. Know your frameworks. Master Jira. Learn Figma. Run a clean stand-up. Ship fast.
But the real job of a product manager is getting people aligned around what the right thing is. And that requires more than technical fluency.
It requires presence.
Unlike engineers or designers, product managers don’t have a tangible output. Our impact is measured in momentum, influence, clarity, alignment, and outcomes. And none of that happens if your insights stay stuck in a Google Doc no one reads or a dashboard no one understands.
As a product manager, you are a translator, a narrator. The connective tissue between data, product, and people.
And this is where the confidence gap becomes so costly.
It’s one thing to know how your product is performing. It’s another to tell a clear, persuasive story that gets stakeholders to believe in what you’re building and why it matters, especially when priorities shift or resources are tight.
“Better decisions might be used to assess performance… but decision-making is affected when information is not appropriately delivered. A firm that improves internal communication is unified—everyone understands their role and goals.”
In a world where product roles are increasingly about influence without authority, being a strong communicator isn’t a bonus skill.
It’s the skill.
What actually works: building confidence through practice
Here’s the good news: confidence isn’t innate. It’s not something you either have or don’t. Like product sense or stakeholder management, it’s a skill—and it can be built.
In my mentorship programs, the turning point always came when we moved from theory to practice. Not more reading. Not more LinkedIn posts. Practice.
We did things like:
- Mock stakeholder presentations: simulating exec reviews, roadmap pitches, or customer insight briefings
- Data storytelling drills: turning raw metrics into a persuasive 5-minute narrative
- Roleplay Q&As: handling curveball questions from exec personas with poise
- Live case pitches: treating every assignment like a moment to present and persuade
Sometimes it started rough—monotone delivery, cluttered slides, vague framing. But with repetition and targeted feedback, something clicked. Structure improved. Delivery sharpened. Confidence grew.
By the third or fourth rep, many mentees weren’t just more articulate—they were more authoritative.
To guide this growth, I started teaching a simple mental model: The 3 R’s of confident product communication:
The 3 R’s:
- Relevance: why does this matter to the stakeholder, right now?
- Resonance: how does this align with what they care about?
- Rhetoric: how are you delivering it clearly, memorably, and with intent?
It’s not about theatrics. It’s about delivering the right message, in the right way, to the right people, with conviction.
How to practice presence: tools, tactics, and habits
Confidence doesn’t just happen because you want it. It happens when you train for it.
If you want to become a product manager who can present with clarity, persuade with conviction, and tell stories that actually land, here are concrete ways to build that muscle.
1. Start a “safe space” speaking series
Create a recurring 10-minute internal forum—your own mini-stage. Share early ideas, insights from user interviews, or just “what I’m thinking about this week.”
Ask a few peers (and ideally a senior leader) to give feedback not on your idea, but on your delivery.
This builds fluency under pressure—and normalizes feedback on communication, not just content.
2. Set up a communication buddy system
Pair up with a trusted peer or senior colleague who’s a strong communicator. Every two weeks, trade short “pitches”—a roadmap vision, a metric story, a customer pain-point—and critique each other’s clarity, tone, and structure.
Think of it as a low-stakes rehearsal for high-stakes conversations.
3. Find an external mentor who can give you tailored feedback and guidance
Platforms like MentorCruise or ad hoc Slack communities (Women in Product, Mind the Product, etc.) are rich with seasoned PMs who’ve done the reps.
Find someone who won’t just help with interview prep—but who will stop you mid-sentence and say, “Say that again, but simpler.”
4. Join Toastmasters (or start your own speaking club)
Yes, it’s old-school—but for good reason. Toastmasters gives you structured, regular speaking practice with live feedback. It’s a gym for your delivery muscles.
Can’t find one nearby? Start a monthly “Product manager oratory circle” with colleagues on Meetup. Rotate topics. Keep it casual. Keep it consistent.
5. Practice story structure by writing
Storytelling isn’t just for pitch decks—it sharpens your product thinking. Join a local fiction writers group or take a creative writing course. You’ll learn to:
- Craft arcs
- Build stakes
- Hook an audience
Books like Wired for Story and Story Genius by Lisa Cron are great for understanding why people pay attention—and how to make ideas stick.
6. Keep a “story bank”
Start a personal log of moments where you:
- Drove an outcome
- Overcame pushback
- Learned something unexpected
These become the raw materials for case studies, interviews, all-hands updates, and your future keynotes.
Practice won’t make you perfect—but it will make you present.
What happens when it clicks
I've witnessed transformations firsthand. Mentees begin timid and unclear, then experience a pivotal moment where clarity and confidence converge. Suddenly, their narratives resonate; their ideas gain traction.
Rina, previously overlooked in job searches, secured two PM offers within a month after honing her stakeholder presentation skills. Another mentee, an engineer transitioning to product, found their ideas finally influencing strategic decisions. They weren't just presenting—they were leading.
When it clicks, you stop pitching ideas and start rallying believers.
Final takeaways
After mentoring over 120 aspiring product managers, the takeaway is clear:
Most have what it takes technically. What they're missing is the ability to make others believe.
“Being able to communicate effectively can help you grow in your career… [you’ll] need to deal with problems, gather information, engage with people, and have strong interpersonal skills—all of which are elements of exchanging ideas that will aid you in the future.”
Future product leaders will narrate visions, align stakeholders, and translate value clearly and confidently. Don't just master frameworks, master influence. Because ultimately, your success hinges on what you can inspire others to build with you.
Read more great career content on Mind the Product
About the author
James Effarah
Head of Product at Odicci, where he is building a Gaming-as-a-Service platform that powers playful shopping experiences for enterprise retail brands. I’ve led 0–1 AI, gaming, and eCommerce products at Activision Blizzard, and Bodybuilding.com, and now focus on making enterprise tools intuitive and fun. Through mentoring at Oxford's Saïd Business School and private coaching, he helps aspiring PMs build confidence, clarity, and presence in a rapidly evolving, AI-driven world.
