This episode of Accidentally Brilliant is one of the most personal conversations we’ve had on the podcast.

Josh Wheeler speaks with Advita Patel, founder of CommsRebel and the former President of the CIPR.

Advita has spent more than twenty years working in communications, helping organisations build cultures where people feel they belong and can thrive. The work she does today grew from a difficult moment in her own career.

In 2018, her confidence collapsed. She began questioning her place in the profession and whether communications was the right path for her at all. That period forced her to step back and understand who she was, what mattered to her, and how confidence actually works.

The conversation moves well beyond personal confidence.

Advita talks about representation in the communications industry and why she helped create A Leader Like Me and the Asian Comms Network. These spaces exist because many people in the profession still feel they have nowhere to talk openly about race, identity and belonging.

We also discuss the wider events shaping those conversations. The global response to the murder of George Floyd. The protests and tensions seen more recently in the UK. The emotional impact these moments have on people working in communications and the silence that often follows in the industry.

Advita reflects on the responsibility communicators hold. We help shape narratives, advise leadership teams and influence culture inside organisations. That responsibility becomes very real when difficult issues affect the people around us.

This episode covers:

At its heart this is a conversation about confidence, courage and responsibility. It is also about something simple that many of us forget to do. Checking in on people and asking how they are really doing.

00:00 Intro

00:04 Meet Advita Patel, CommsRebel and CIPR President

01:16 Confidence, vulnerability and showing up on LinkedIn

01:41 The 2018 confidence crash that changed everything

02:25 A difficult conversation that forced a turning point

03:32 Researching confidence, imposter syndrome and inner critics

04:01 The influence of Shonda Rhimes and “The Year of Yes”

04:56 Why worrying about other people’s opinions holds us back

05:57 Competing with others vs competing with yourself

06:04 Advice for anyone facing a confidence crash

07:22 How other people shape our identity growing up

07:50 “Who am I really?” — unpicking expectations

09:01 Why understanding yourself is the foundation of confidence

10:21 Mental health, therapy and learning to look after yourself

10:37 When work becomes your identity

11:54 Treating yourself with the same compassion as others

12:24 Adapting to belong without breaking yourself

12:42 Why connection and empathy are disappearing

13:44 Cognitive diversity and avoiding echo chambers

13:53 Fear, vulnerability and sharing online

14:47 Representation and creating spaces for belonging

15:03 Why Advita co-founded A Leader Like Me

16:22 The impact of George Floyd on diversity conversations

17:46 Why the Asian Comms Network was created

19:14 Lived experience and the reality of microaggressions

20:23 Why conversations about racism are often avoided

22:22 Power, politics and uncomfortable industry conversations

23:34 Why politics affects the people we work with

24:46 Speaking up, allyship and finding your voice

26:16 Why we’ve lost the ability to connect and debate

27:32 The fear of getting things wrong in public conversations

28:35 Why communicators must understand opposing views

29:09 Community, identity and checking in on people

30:24 Why humans naturally gravitate towards similarity

31:38 Bias, safety and how our brains work

32:26 The power communications professionals hold

32:47 The emotional impact of recent events on communities

34:07 Living with fear and the daily reality for many people

35:02 Hope over fear and using your privilege to help others

36:06 Becoming the first person of colour to lead the CIPR

37:14 Using privilege to create space for others

38:03 Why intent matters in difficult conversations

39:19 When mistakes happen — and how to respond

40:24 “Where are you really from?” — navigating everyday bias

41:31 Curiosity as the starting point for allyship

42:58 Different ways to show allyship

43:39 The simple power of checking in on someone

44:32 Why difficult topics often get avoided

45:02 One action everyone can take tomorrow

46:04 Confidence as a ripple effect

46:50 The thread through Advita’s career: confidence and inclusion

48:08 An “accidentally brilliant” moment — Couch to 5K

49:18 Closing thoughts