Agency

Definition

Agency is the felt and practical capacity to choose, act, and reshape the situation in front of you.

Anatomy

• A model of what is happening
• A belief that action can matter
• A small next move
• Feedback that updates the model

Not A

Agency is not unlimited control, productivity theater, or pretending constraints do not exist.

Reference

• Albert Bandura, social cognitive theory
• Donella Meadows, leverage points