What real confidence looks like for young women in leadership
What does real confidence look like for young women in leadership? For a lot of people, it isn’t the loud, certain version we’ve been sold. It’s quiet confidence, the kind that comes from self-trust rather than performance.
In this episode of Decoding Confidence, PR strategist and founder Parul Yadav gets candid about building that self-trust, challenging cultural expectations, and leading authentically without shrinking or performing.
Parul is the founder of North Wave Media, a PR and integrated communications agency operating across Canada and the U.S. Her journey, from navigating first-generation family pressures to running a cross-border agency, is a masterclass in quiet confidence and intentional leadership.
If you’re an entrepreneur battling imposter syndrome, self-doubt, or the pressure to lead a certain way, this conversation is for you.
Table of contents
- What quiet confidence looks like in leadership
- What you’ll learn
- Episode timestamps
- Frequently asked questions
- Resources and links
- Final thoughts
What quiet confidence looks like in leadership
We tend to mistake volume for confidence. Someone speaks first, speaks loudest, and we read it as self-belief. But quiet confidence works differently. It’s the leader who doesn’t need to fill every silence, who acts without waiting for permission, and who trusts their own judgement even when the room expects something more performative.
Parul’s story shows how that kind of confidence is built rather than borrowed. It grows through small decisions, visible vulnerability, and a willingness to lead on your own terms rather than copying a model that was never designed with you in mind. For many South Asian women in particular, it also means gently unpicking the cultural narratives and family expectations that quietly fuel self-doubt.
What you’ll learn
- Why confidence matters more than competence, and how to close the gap between the two.
- How cultural narratives and family expectations shape self-doubt for South Asian women.
- What quiet confidence actually looks like in leadership, and why extroversion is overrated.
- How to stop waiting for permission and start taking action.
- Practical strategies for moving through fear of failure and perfectionism with compassion.
- How to advocate for yourself and build authentic visibility in the workplace.
- Why unlearning Western leadership models unlocks your real leadership style.
Episode timestamps
- (00:00) Introduction to Parul Yadav and her journey in PR
- (02:00) Confidence vs competence: what’s the real difference?
- (03:32) Visible vulnerability and why exposure builds confidence
- (05:38) The moment confidence became central to her path
- (06:11) Small decisions that shifted her self-perception
- (08:35) Cultural expectations and being a first-generation South Asian woman
- (09:54) Talking career choices with family in traditional communities
- (11:43) Letting go of external validation as an entrepreneur
- (13:21) How cultural narratives fuel self-doubt and fear
- (15:30) Moving through perfectionism and fear of failure
- (17:49) Intentional presence and what authentic visibility really means
- (20:17) Quiet confidence vs performative confidence
- (21:39) Debunking the myth that confident leaders are extroverts
- (27:27) Unlearning Western confidence ideals and leading on your own terms
- (32:20) Why action beats waiting until you feel ready
- (34:18) Small acts of bravery that build real momentum
- (35:54) Embracing your authentic story as a leadership strength
- (36:27) Where to find Parul, plus her final advice for listeners
Frequently asked questions
What is quiet confidence in leadership?
Quiet confidence is self-belief that doesn’t rely on being the loudest voice in the room. It shows up as steady judgement, the ability to act without waiting for permission, and a willingness to lead authentically rather than perform a version of confidence that was never really yours.
Is quiet confidence a weakness compared to being outgoing?
Not at all. The idea that confident leaders have to be extroverts is one of the biggest myths Parul unpicks in this episode. Quiet confidence is often more grounded and more trusted, because it comes from substance rather than volume.
How can women build quiet confidence at work?
It starts with small, intentional acts of bravery rather than waiting to feel ready. Advocating for yourself, building authentic visibility, letting go of perfectionism, and questioning the cultural narratives that fuel self-doubt all help you build self-trust over time.
Resources and links
- North Wave Media
- Parul Yadav on LinkedIn
- CommsRebel [add internal link to a related CommsRebel or Decoding Confidence episode on this site]
- Decoding Confidence: The 7 Habits of Confident Leaders
- Want to understand more about which confident habit you should focus on first? Take the free assessment and the results will be sent to you immediately.
Final thoughts
Real confidence rarely looks the way we expect. For young women in leadership, quiet confidence is often the truest version, built through self-trust, small acts of bravery, and the freedom to lead authentically rather than perform.
Parul’s story is a reminder that you don’t have to shrink yourself or copy someone else’s style to lead well. The most powerful thing you can do is build quiet confidence on your own terms, and let your authentic story become a leadership strength rather than something to hide.
If you want support with confidence, culture or internal communications in your organisation, get in touch: hello@commsrebel.com.