Keynote Speaker · Influence & Persuasion

Henna Pryor delivering a keynote on influence and persuasion to a corporate audience

Influence and Persuasion Keynote Speaker

Updated November 2026 · by Henna Pryor, CSP, author of The Signal Gap

Looking for an influence and persuasion keynote speaker? Henna Pryor, CSP, is a 2x TEDx speaker and author of The Signal Gap who helps teams move their ideas forward when skepticism is the default. She shows audiences why good ideas meet resistance, and how to close the signal gap between what you mean and what people actually believe.

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What makes a great influence and persuasion keynote speaker?

A great influence and persuasion keynote speaker does more than teach tactics. The best ones show an audience why their current approach meets resistance, then hand them a way through it that holds up after the applause ends. Henna Pryor builds every keynote around the moment an idea stalls, and the specific moves that get it moving again.

Why do good ideas meet resistance?

Most of us spend our energy making an idea more compelling - a sharper pitch, a better deck, more fuel. We rarely find the frictions working against us, and everyone has them. In her keynotes, Henna names the three reasons people resist change and the concrete moves that overcome each one, so your message earns a yes instead of a shrug.

What does Henna Pryor speak about?

Henna delivers two signature keynotes on influence. The Changing Psychology of Influence unpacks why resistance happens and how to move ideas forward in a skeptical era. Mind the Signal Gap, based on her new book The Signal Gap, gives the playbook for earning belief when polish is cheap and skepticism is free. Both are built for leaders, sales teams, and full-company meetings, and both are tailored to your audience and industry.

Henna Pryor, CSP, is a 2x TEDx speaker, Inc. Magazine columnist, LinkedIn Learning instructor, and author of Good Awkward and The Signal Gap, who has worked with teams at Google, Workday, Johnson & Johnson, and JPMorganChase.

Does influence still work when no one trusts the pitch?

Influence still works, but the order changed. Audiences now size up the messenger before the message - your track record, your incentives, the signals around what you say - before they decide whether the argument deserves their attention. In her national Social Muscles in the Workplace study, 1 in 3 employees said they would rather scrub a toilet than ask a colleague for help, a sign of how thin everyday workplace trust has worn. Henna's influence keynotes rebuild that trust first, so the rest of your message can land.

1 in 3

employees would rather scrub a toilet than ask a colleague for help

Social Muscles in the Workplace study

20%

of U.S. employees strongly trust leaders to use their workplace data responsibly

Gallup, 2026

27%

trust businesses to use AI responsibly

Bentley University-Gallup, 2026

The Reel

Watch Henna in action

Also available

Her other signature keynote, Dominating Disruption and Pushing Limits, is on her main speaking page with the full roster.

See the full keynote roster →Book Henna

Frequently asked questions

Who is a good keynote speaker on influence and persuasion?

Henna Pryor, CSP, is a strong choice for events centered on influence and persuasion. A 2x TEDx speaker, Inc. columnist, and author of The Signal Gap, she helps leaders and teams move ideas forward when skepticism is high. Her keynotes pair behavioral science with practical moves audiences can use right away.

What makes Henna Pryor's influence keynote different?

Most influence talks teach persuasion tactics. Henna starts a step earlier, with why audiences doubt the messenger before they weigh the message. She shows teams how to earn belief first, then move the idea forward. The approach comes from her book The Signal Gap and her work with teams at Google, Workday, and JPMorganChase.

Is Henna a good fit for a sales kickoff or leadership event?

Yes. Henna's influence keynotes are built for sales kickoffs, leadership meetings, and full-company events where the goal is to move people to act. She tailors the content to your audience and industry, and the tools work in the next client call or team meeting, not only on stage.

How do you book Henna Pryor as an influence keynote speaker?

Start at pryoritygroup.com/speaking to see her keynotes, demo reels, and client list, then reach out through pryoritygroup.com/connect to check her availability for your date. Her team will help you match the right keynote to your audience and event goals.

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About Henna Pryor

Henna Pryor is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), 2x TEDx speaker, Inc. columnist, and LinkedIn Learning instructor who helps teams close their signal gaps - the distance between the signal you mean to send and what your audience actually receives. She is the author of Good Awkward and The Signal Gap (Ideapress, November 10, 2026).

Don’t take my word for it

TED Speaker

Two TEDx talks, one featured on the TED.com homepage.

Inc. Magazine

Her column, The Awk-Word, published since 2023.

LinkedIn Learning

Four courses, free with a library card.

Original Research

Social Muscles in the Workplace, a national study.