174. Work Fame, Hesitation Stations and Why Your Career Isn’t Stuck with Leanne Hughes and Prina Shah
In this episode of Ways to Change Your Workplace, Prina Shah is joined by facilitator, speaker, author and self-confessed “thought breeder” Leanne Hughes for a deeply honest conversation about boredom at work, visibility, career reinvention, and what it really takes to create meaningful opportunities inside organisations.
Leanne shares the story behind her upcoming book Work Fame and why she believes so many people quietly sit in workplaces feeling disengaged, unseen, and stuck in what she calls the “hesitation station”.
This conversation explores the difference between simply doing your job and intentionally building a reputation for contribution, curiosity, and service.
Together, Prina and Leanne unpack why so many talented people stay hidden at work, the emotional reality of feeling underutilised, and how small acts of visibility can completely reshape a career.
This episode is not about ego.
It is about agency.
It is about recognising that meaningful work often starts when we stop waiting to be noticed and start creating value in ways that feel aligned to who we are.
In this episode, Prina and Leanne discuss:
• Why boredom at work is often a signal, not a personal failure
• The emotional toll of feeling underutilised and disconnected at work
• Why changing jobs does not always solve the problem
• Leanne’s concept of the “hesitation station” and how people get stuck there
• What “work fame” actually means — and why it is not about self-promotion
• How workshops, contribution and visibility accelerated Leanne’s corporate career
• Why confidence is built through action, not thinking
• The difference between “thought leadership” and “thought breeding”
• Why service, curiosity and conversations create more opportunities
• The role of relationships and visibility in career growth
• Introverts, visibility and the myth that only extroverts get ahead
• How small workplace behaviours create cut-through and trust
• Why people quietly crave recognition, opportunity and impact
• The future of internal influencers and employee advocacy
Key insight from Leanne:
“You can sit on the hesitation station for years.
Sometimes the most important thing is simply getting on a train — any train — and creating movement.”
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Prina (Helping you find GREAT ways to change your workplace) Shah
