Thoughts on Agency

Regardless of the work, those with agency are the ones who thrive. It's what carries the mailroom clerk to the executive floor. It's what lets someone tune out the noise and just keep moving forward. It's the moment someone realizes the place they work is broken, and leaves to build something better themselves. It's where entrepreneurs live. When we have agency, we see ourselves as capable of more, capable of being better.

In truth, the best companies foster agency in their employees. They want people who think for themselves, who push boundaries, who color outside the lines. That's where the magic happens. It doesn't matter if you manufacture widgets or build AI: most of the advancements in your product will come from the relatively small percentage of employees who think for themselves.

There's no question we're in a time of great change. We're moving fast from changes in where we work to far more significant changes in how we work, driven by continued advances in AI. This is not a time to play the victim. It's a time to look for ways to be part of the future, not a time to get stuck in "this is how we've always done it." This moment calls for flexibility, for curiosity about what's next. In the end, agency brings accountability. Those who have it feel a measure of control over their work, and their lives, that is, ultimately, healthy.