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How to develop High Agency

An article explaining what high agency is, why it matters for technical leaders, and how to cultivate it.

Overview
This article by Dr Milan Milanović defines the concept of high agency, discusses its importance for engineers and technical leaders, and offers practical steps to develop it in daily work.

Key Takeaways

  • High agency means taking ownership, making decisions, and driving outcomes without waiting for direction.
  • Leaders with high agency foster autonomy, faster problem solving, and stronger team performance.
  • Cultivating high agency involves setting clear goals, building confidence, and creating feedback loops.
  • Practical habits such as proactive communication, small experiments, and reflecting on results accelerate growth.

Who Would Benefit

  • Engineering managers looking to empower their teams.
  • Senior engineers aspiring to lead without formal authority.
  • Technical directors who want to improve decision-making speed.
  • Anyone interested in personal effectiveness in a tech environment.

Frameworks and Methodologies

  • Ownership mindset framework.
  • Continuous feedback loops.
  • Small-scale experimentation (lean approach).
Source: newsletter.techworld-with-milan.com
#high agency#technical leadership#engineering management#productivity#personal development

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