188: The Hidden Performance Crisis No One’s Talking About with Henna Pryor

Henna Pryror Speaker. Executive Coach. Workplace Performance Expert.

 

Considered one of the best recruiters on the east coast - and gave it all up. She had an incredible sales and consulting career. She shattered records and was in the top 10% of the company every year. She loved the industry – but her heart broke every time she helped a high-performing employee exit their high-potential team.

 

Socials:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hennapryor

Instagram: www.instagram.com/hennapryor

Facebook: www.facebook.com/hennapryorcoach

 

Summary:

 

In this episode, workplace performance expert and bestselling author Henna Pryor joins the show to discuss the hidden challenges of the modern workday. The conversation dives deep into why many professionals feel like "drunk baby giraffes" navigating constant change and how "social muscle atrophy" is impacting team dynamics in a hybrid world. Henna shares why embracing awkwardness is a professional advantage and offers actionable strategies to rebuild social courage and connection.

 

Key Takeaways:

 

- Social Muscle as Currency: Your ability to navigate social discomfort is a hidden performance currency in today's workplace.

- The "Atrophy" Epidemic: Remote and hybrid work have caused our social skills to weaken due to a lack of real-world practice and a tendency to avoid difficult conversations.

- Awkwardness is an Emotion, Not a Trait: Awkwardness is a unique form of social discomfort triggered by uncertainty and change, rather than a permanent personality flaw.

- The "Drunk Baby Giraffe" Mindset: Leaders must model being okay with "stumbling" through change to encourage their teams to take risks and keep moving forward.

- Focus on the Start: The hardest part of social interaction is the "activation energy" required to begin; focusing on simply starting can overcome most social anxiety.

 

Episode Chapters:

 

[00:00:00] The "Drunk Baby Giraffe" Workplace

[00:02:24] Henna's Path to Performance Coaching

[00:03:52] Defining "Good Awkward"

[00:06:17] Why We Are More Awkward Now

[00:09:44] The Danger of Social Comfort

[00:12:30] The Spotlight Effect and the Liking Gap

[00:16:15] Strategy: Social Risk Micro-Dosing

[00:19:50] The "Activation Energy" of Conversation

[00:23:10] Leadership and the Permission to Stumble

[00:27:18] Embracing the Messy Middle

[00:31:05] Focus on the Process, Not the Outcome

[00:33:45] Closing Thoughts and "Good Awkward" Resources