Decoding Confidence

About Decoding Confidence

Confidence is talked about constantly, yet rarely explained in a way that feels real, inclusive or sustainable. Decoding Confidence is a podcast for leaders, professionals and changemakers who want to lead with clarity, courage and authenticity, without pretending to be someone they’re not. Hosted by confidence and leadership coach Advita Patel, this podcast explores the seven habits of confident leaders and what they look like in everyday working life. Each episode unpacks one habit, offering practical reflections, mindset shifts and grounded insights drawn from coaching, communications and real leadership experience. This isn’t about charisma or perfection. It’s about building confidence through boldness, empathy, learning, integrity, empowerment, vulnerability and energy, especially when navigating pressure, visibility and responsibility. The podcast also accompanies Advita’s forthcoming book Decoding Confidence (launching May 2026), giving listeners an early way to explore the ideas, language and practices behind the framework. Whether you’re leading a team, stepping into greater visibility, or quietly questioning your own confidence, this podcast is here to support you to lead in a way that feels human, sustainable and true to who you are. New episodes are released every Monday morning. Find out more at www.decodingconfidence.com (https://decodingconfidence.com/).

Publisher

Advita Patel

Category

business · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

29 Dec 2025

Latest episode

5 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

31 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   5 Oct 2026

   S2: EP3: How to Handle Difficult Stakeholders During Change Using 4 Communication Styles

   Struggling with difficult stakeholders during change? When someone doesn't engage with your change communications, it's easy to assume they're being difficult, or that you're getting it wrong. In this episode of Decoding Confidence, Advita Patel explores another possibility: people aren't difficult, they're different. Drawing on conversations at the Unite conference, the latest workplace research and the DISC framework, Advita shares practical ways internal communications and HR professionals can influence leaders, build trust and adapt their communication style without changing who they are. In this episode: Why we make quick assumptions about stakeholders when we're busy How Daniel Kahneman's System 1 and System 2 thinking shapes workplace communication How leading with the "why" transformed Advita's relationship with a director The 4 DISC communication styles and what each stakeholder needs from you: D, Dominance: lead with the decision, impact and bottom line I, Influence: connect through people, energy and vision S, Steadiness: offer time, reassurance and clarity about what will stay the same C, Conscientiousness: share evidence, detail and rationale 6 practical tactics for influencing leaders when change moves fast What to do when a stakeholder still isn't engaging Why better conversations work better than sending more messages Memorable quotes: "People aren't generally difficult, they are just different." "Saying more isn't the answer, but getting better at the conversation is what is going to work." "A stakeholder not engaging is rarely a verdict on your ability or your experience." Try this: Choose one stakeholder you find challenging. Think about their communication style and your own, then change one thing about how you approach them next time. You can also simply ask: "What's the best way to keep you updated on this?" Resources and links: Decoding Confidence Book by Advita Patel Take the Confidence Quiz: decodingconfidence.scoreapp.com Explore your DISC profile with Advita Connect with Advita on LinkedIn CIPD Good Work Index 2026 Gallup State of the Global Workplace 2026 Gartner change adoption research, October 2025 Gallagher 2026 Employee Communications Report Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

2. 

   28 Sept 2026

   S2: EP2: How to Build Leadership Confidence: 3 Lessons from Bridget Aherne

   What does leadership confidence really look like when you're having a rough week? In this episode of Decoding Confidence, I'm joined by my good friend Bridget Aherne, a senior public-sector communications leader, a Chartered PR Practitioner, and one of the most honest people I know. We met properly during those six-feet-apart walks in the park during COVID, and this conversation has the same feel. Bridget talks openly about the gap between how confident she looked and how confident she felt, and what she does when she doesn't show up as the leader she wants to be. Table of contents About this episode Meet Bridget Aherne What we cover Bridget's three lessons for leadership confidence Standout moments Timestamps FAQs Resources and links About this episode on leadership confidence Bridget describes herself as having that Irish Mancunian swagger from a young age. Boldness came naturally. Self-belief underneath it didn't always follow. As the daughter of an Irish immigrant father whose advice was to work hard and not get found out, she grew up without role models who'd been to university. Her route into journalism, radio and eventually PR was hard won. Mine was too, and we talk about what it means to build a career without the connections others take for granted. This is a conversation about confidence as something that moves with you through life, rather than a fixed trait you either have or don't. Meet Bridget Aherne Bridget is a communications leader in local government in Greater Manchester, with a career spanning newspaper journalism, radio, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, Metrolink and her own consultancy. She became a Chartered PR Practitioner in 2018 and has been a huge part of the comms community in the North West for years. She's also the person who named the CommsHive, which I'll forever credit her for. What we cover Why outward boldness doesn't always mean inner self-confidence Growing up with immigrant parents and the pressure to keep your head down Becoming CIPR chartered, and whether it changed how Bridget saw herself Why admitting a lack of confidence can feel career-limiting for senior leaders What to do when you get it wrong with your team, and how to rebuild psychological safety How knowing your strengths helps you take control of your own narrative The myth that confidence has to be loud Why your personal story belongs on your CV Bridget's three lessons for leadership confidence When I asked Bridget what advice she'd give a leader who's struggling, she gave three clear lessons. 1. It's okay not to be confident all the time Nobody starts a new role feeling confident. Leadership confidence isn't linear. Life changes, hormones, a close colleague leaving, organisational pressure: all of it affects how we show up at work. 2. Keep moving forward That might mean a new job. It might mean getting over a moment where you didn't live up to your own values. Bridget loves that the BELIEVE framework talks about habits, because habits can be developed. They aren't fixed character traits. 3. Find your network Networks got Bridget through a lonely time in a difficult job. Her advice is to pick someone you admire and send them a message. The worst that happens is they don't reply. Standout moments Apologise quickly and move on. Bridget shares, with real vulnerability, a moment when she spoke to a team member in a way she wasn't proud of during a tough restructure. Drawing on her crisis comms background, she owned it, apologised quickly and focused on resetting psychological safety. We also talk about why "I'm sorry you felt that way" is not an apology. Confidence is more than the sum of our parts. For Bridget, confidence isn't an individual thing. It's about creating spaces where everyone can bring their strengths, try things and fail fast. Her CliftonStrengths top theme, individualisation, sits at the heart of how she leads. Quiet confidence counts. When Bridget moved into rail, she was quieter in meetings th

3. 

   21 Sept 2026

   S2: EP1: Self-Trust: 7 Honest Lessons on Confidence, With Kaz Hassan

   Season two of Decoding Confidence opens with a role reversal. Kaz Hassan, who leads Partner Marketing and Thought Leadership at Unily and has interviewed everyone from Tan France to Mo Gawdat, usually holds the microphone. This time Advita Patel turns the tables and interviews him about what confidence really means. It's a candid, practical conversation. Kaz reframes confidence as self-trust rather than volume or extroversion, and explains why some of the loudest people in the room are often the least sure of themselves. He shares how he prepares for high-pressure interviews in front of hundreds of people, why he watches himself back even when colleagues find it odd, and how "remembering we're all just people" quietly dissolves the fear of big names and big rooms. The two also get honest about the personal feedback that chips away at confidence, from comments on dress sense to being told you're "too expressive." They talk about unlearning people-pleasing, protecting your self-esteem online, and building a trusted learning circle so you take advice from the right voices and tune out the rest. If you want to speak with more confidence, build trust faster and show up as yourself at work, this one's for you. What you'll learn Why confidence is really self-trust, and how to spot it in yourself and others How Kaz prepares for and then improvises through interviews with high-profile guests Why watching yourself back is one of the fastest ways to improve as a speaker How to build trust quickly with audiences, stakeholders and clients Why working on your own confidence has to come before any "trust tactics" How to handle personal, unhelpful feedback without letting it dent your self-worth How to build a learning circle, or personal board of directors, of believers, mirrors and connectors Timestamps 00:00 Pre-chat and getting set up01:28 Welcome to season two and flipping the interviewer role02:28 What confidence really means04:09 Big names, big rooms, and why they still feel human05:23 Natural curiosity versus learned confidence06:58 Why remembering "we're all just people" changes everything10:02 The pressure of interviewing live in front of huge audiences11:55 How Kaz prepares, then improvises in the moment13:49 Why watching your own work matters15:33 Prep, practice and improving by reviewing your talks18:42 Why LinkedIn visibility makes some people uncomfortable22:14 Being visible at Unily without wanting the pedestal27:14 How to build trust quickly with audiences and stakeholders28:13 Why self-confidence comes before trust tactics30:26 Don't overcomplicate trust33:17 Unlearning people-pleasing and the need to be liked34:44 Bad advice about authenticity and dress code38:09 Personal feedback that can damage confidence41:12 Why a trusted learning circle beats random advice44:34 What Kaz would tell his younger self before the Tan France interview46:52 Entering flow through presence and perception48:38 Final recommendation: learn from many styles, not one formula53:02 Closing reflections and thanks Notable quotes "Confidence is with trust." Kaz Hassan "Some of the loudest characters I know are the least confident in themselves." Advita Patel "We're all just people." Kaz Hassan "If you're everyone's cup of tea, you'd be a mug." Kaz Hassan "Adding polish on top of the wrong foundation." Kaz Hassan, on chasing trust tactics before building self-confidence FAQ What is confidence, really?In this episode, confidence is defined as self-trust. It's whether you back yourself, stand by your convictions and trust your ability no matter what life throws at you. It is not about being loud, bold or extroverted. In fact, some of the loudest people in a room are the least confident, using volume as a mask. How do you build trust quickly with an audience or stakeholders?Kaz shares two core tips. First, work on your own self-confidence before reaching for any trust techniques, because polish on a shaky foundation falls flat. S