Henna Pryor on How to Get Good at Being Awkward | EP 701

Passion Struck with John R. Miles

Passion Struck Network

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4.9 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 11 December 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What if the very thing you’ve been trying to hide, your awkwardness, was actually the key to deeper connection, stronger leadership, and unbreakable confidence?

In Episode 701 of Passion Struck, workplace performance expert and bestselling author Henna Pryor joins John R. Miles to unpack her groundbreaking book Good Awkward and expose the hidden crisis she calls Social Muscle Atrophy, the slow erosion of our ability to handle normal human interaction in a world gone hybrid and hyper-polished.

Henna drops the stat that stops everyone cold: 30 % of employees would rather clean a toilet than ask a coworker for help. The cost? Billions in lost innovation, fractured trust, and a growing “mattering gap” at work.

But the fix isn’t more communication training.

It’s learning to get good at being awkward on purpose.

If you’ve ever stayed silent when you wanted to speak up, rehearsed a conversation 47 times and still didn’t have it, or felt like an imposter in your own life, this episode is your permission slip to stop polishing and start connecting.

Listen. Watch. Go Deeper.

Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/good-awkward-psychological-safety-confidence/

All links gathered here — including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel:

https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles

The Good Awkward Workbook: 7 Micro-Courage Challenges to Rebuild Your Social Muscle

Reflection prompts + daily practice → Download the Companion Workbook

In this episode, you will learn:

Why awkwardness is the price of growth and how to pay it gladly
What Social Muscle Atrophy is costing your team and how to reverse it
The confidence myth we all need to retire
How embracing cringe builds psychological safety faster than perfection
Henna’s 5 science-backed practices to turn awkward moments into leadership superpowers
Why the future of work belongs to the willingly awkward

Support the Movement

Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter.

Wear it. Live it. Show it.

https://StartMattering.com

Disclaimer

The Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed physician, therapist, or other qualified professional.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	The weight is over. Dive into Audubles' most anticipated collection, the best of 2025, featuring top audiobooks, podcasts, and originals across all genres. Our editors have carefully curated this year's must-listens, from brilliant hidden gems to the busiest new releases.
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0:28.3	This is your go-to for the absolute best in 2025 audio entertainment.
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0:38.8	Discover why there's more to imagine when you listen at audible.com slash best of the year.
0:44.4	Coming up next on Passionstruck. A lot of us in the last five years got thrown into these hybrid work spaces, virtual workspaces. We may not see our colleagues anymore. We tend to have this
0:50.6	tendency to magnify or create a story around what it means to ask someone for help.
0:57.3	We're not talking to them as often.
0:59.0	So the muscle feels underdeveloped.
1:02.3	We are not clear on what they think our capabilities are, what we think their bandwidth is to help us.
1:09.0	So we tell ourselves a whole story about what that represents. And because
1:12.1	of all these factors, it's harder than ever to ask for help. But amongst all of those, the biggest one,
1:18.9	is we're just not doing it as much and we've gotten out of practice. Welcome to Passionstruck. I'm your
1:25.2	host, John Miles. This is the show where we explore the art of human
1:29.5	flourishing and what it truly means to live like it matters. Each week, I sit down with
1:34.8	change makers, creators, scientists, and everyday heroes to decode the human experience and uncover
1:40.9	the tools that help us lead with meaning, heal what hurts, and pursue the fullest
1:45.4	expression for who we're capable of becoming. Whether you're designing your future, developing as a leader,
1:51.2	or seeking deeper alignment in your life, this show is your invitation to grow with purpose
1:56.3	and act with intention. Because the secret to a life of deep purpose, connection, and impact
2:01.8	is choosing to live like you matter.
	...

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