Decoding Confidence

In this episode of Decoding Confidence, Advita explores the true essence of confidence, emphasising trust in oneself and others. She discusses the misconceptions around confidence, self-esteem, and courage, and how these elements interplay in professional settings.
Advita also touches on cultural intelligence and the impact of micromanagement on confidence. The episode encourages listeners to redefine their own sense of confidence and offers practical insights for building self-trust.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction to Decoding Confidence
00:03:00 Understanding Confidence and Self-Esteem
00:09:00 The Role of Trust in Confidence
00:15:00 Cultural Intelligence and Leadership
00:21:00 Micromanagement and Its Impact
00:27:00 Building Confidence Through Self-Trust
Key takeaways:
Confidence is about trusting yourself, not bravado.
Self-esteem is your sense of worthiness.
Courage involves acting despite fear.
Micromanagement can undermine confidence.
Cultural intelligence affects how confidence is perceived.
Confidence is a trainable skill, not innate.
Feedback should come from trusted sources.
Confidence varies across different life areas.
Psychological safety fosters confidence.
Confidence grows through small acts of self-trust.
Resources
What is Cultural Intelligence?
Stop telling women they have Imposter Syndrome
Brene Brown Books
Free 30 Day Confidence Challenge
Explore 1-2-1 coaching with Advita
Decoding Confidence: The 7 Habits of Confident Leaders will be published in May 2026. Pre-order available now.
 
 
 

Each episode will explore one habit in depth, looking at how it shows up in real working lives, especially when you’re navigating pressure, visibility, responsibility or change. We’ll talk honestly about what helps, what gets in the way, and how to build confidence without pretending to be someone else.
The seven habits we’ll explore are boldness, empathy, learning, integrity, empowerment, vulnerability and energy. You don’t need to master all of them at once. In fact, part of this work is recognising which habits you lean into naturally, and which ones need more care and attention.
This podcast also sits alongside my upcoming book, Decoding Confidence, launching in May 2026, where I go deeper into the ideas and research behind these habits. Think of this as a more conversational space to reflect, pause and apply what confidence really means for you.
If you’re someone who wants to lead with clarity, self-trust and humanity, you’re in the right place. You don’t need to become louder, tougher or more polished. You just need space to understand yourself better and permission to grow.
Thank you for being here. In the next episode, we’ll start with the first habit: boldness, and what it really means to act with courage when doubt is sitting quietly in the background.
If this resonates, make sure you follow or subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
You can find out more about my work on professional confidence by visiting www.decodingconfidence.com.