High Agency: The Hidden Lever in Your Leadership

If you’re a busy leader, you probably don’t just want someone who completes tasks — you want someone who moves things forward.

That’s what we call High Agency.

High Agency is a mindset. It’s taking initiative. Ownership. A default toward action.

And it’s a game-changer — both for you as a leader, and for your Executive Assistant.

Let’s break it down.

🧠 What is High Agency?

High Agency means thinking like a founder, not a follower.

It looks like this:

• Spotting a problem and solving it before you ask
• Anticipating needs based on patterns
• Communicating proactively and closing every loop
• Offering solutions, not just surfacing questions

It’s the difference between:
🧍 “Hey, just checking in on this…”
🚀 “Hey, I saw this might be slipping — I took care of it and here’s a quick update.”

🔓 How to Unlock High Agency in Your EA

Most EAs want to operate at high agency — but many don’t know if they’re allowed to.

Here’s how to give them permission and power to do it:

1. Give them Context, not just Tasks
   • Tell them why something matters. Purpose breeds ownership.
2. Ask for Recommendations, not just Execution
   • Next time you assign something, say: “Tell me what you think we should do here.”
3. Hand off Outcomes, not Checklists
   • Instead of saying “Email this person,” try: “Make sure they’re taken care of and in the loop.”
4. Show Trust, Reap Momentum
   • When your EA knows you trust them, they’ll step up. Every time.
     

💡 Want to Practice High Agency as a Leader?

High Agency isn’t just for assistants. It’s for you too.

It looks like:

• Addressing that friction point you’ve been tolerating
• Making a decision that’s overdue
• Delegating the thing you’ve been hoarding
• Following up with intention

Leadership starts with ownership — and ownership starts with action.

🛠 Ready to Level Up?

If your EA is great but you’re still holding onto tasks they could own, ask yourself:

“Where am I still managing tasks that could be delegated with context and trust?”

Make this the week you give them permission to step into more.

You don’t need a second you. You need a strategic partner.

And if you’ve got an EA… they’re already on your team. You just need to unleash them.

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