If you want to advance in your career, you’ll need to have uncomfortable conversations in the office, says workplace expert Henna Pryor.
Skillfully navigating tense or awkward interactions, from asserting opinions to asking your boss for a raise, can benefit your career, Pryor says. Part of the challenge is knowing where and how to have those conversations, especially because a growing number of employees struggle with interpersonal discomfort, she adds.
“The reality is, many of us are very comfortable in our aloneness, and we’ve gotten pretty comfortable turning to ChatGPT for an answer, instead of asking our colleagues what they think” even for simple problems, says Pryor, the founder and CEO of Philadelphia-based leadership coaching firm Pryority Group. “Managing conflict or asking for help in high stake conversations requires a different skill set.”
Help us help you: Take our survey on work, money and life goals
Gen Z employees tend to struggle with uncomfortable social dynamics more than older generations, Pryor says. Many of them started their careers when remote work was the norm, giving them less experience with face-to-face sticky conversations, she notes. Young people report feeling more uncomfortable at work, and as a result, avoid conflict even in low-stakes conversations, Pryor’s research shows.
