Communications professionals are expected to juggle endless demands, tight deadlines, and competing priorities—but too often, we end up overworked and undervalued.

This interactive session will give you the skills and strategies to set boundaries, push back with confidence, and gain respect for their expertise.

We’ll cover some of the most common tricky conversations our Comms Creatives Academy members have told us they face.

We can get stuck in ‘people pleasing’ mode – but that’s rarely the way to be most effective.

Without being rude, you can stop saying yes to every last-minute request, handle tough conversations, and get the buy-in you need from your leaders.

Essential skills for comms

Gain respect for your expertise – Learn how to push back on unrealistic demands while maintaining strong professional relationships.

Manage workloads and protect creativity – Stop the endless cycle of reactive work and carve out space for strategic thinking.

Say no (or yes!) with confidence – Master the art of Yes, and… responses to turn tricky conversations into productive ones.

Get buy-in from colleagues and leadership team – Learn practical techniques to secure approvals, influence decisions, and champion your ideas.

Advice and time for discussions

Bring your real-life, real-time challenges in terms of pressures you’re put under – last minute requests, chronic underappreciation of your knowledge and skillset, impossible deadlines….argh!

We’ll have some time to chat together so you feel calm, clear and equipped on how to navigate those conversations, while staying true to your own values and ALWAYS being yourself.

About your course tutor

Hel Reynolds is your guide for this session.

With over 20 years of experience in communications – including 10 years leading Comms Creatives  – she’s helped thousands of comms professionals build confidence, creativity, and influence in their roles.

She knows first-hand how tough it can be to push back against unrealistic demands, prove the value of our work, and navigate difficult conversations.

As a recovering people-pleaser, she learned that setting boundaries and advocating for yourself isn’t about being difficult—it’s about being respected. And she’s here to show you how to do it with confidence, kindness, and a touch of humour.

She’ll help you dampen the anxiety and start owning your expertise. You deserve to be heard, and in a job you love – let’s make sure you are!

What makes this workshop irresistible: