Unleashing Agency in Today’s Workplace: Insights from Fred Miller & Judith Katz
Recently, Fred and Judith joined a session with the International Society for Organization Development & Change (ISODC) focused on one of the most essential capabilities in organizations today: unleashing people to use their full agency. Their conversation explored what it takes to create environments where individuals feel confident stepping forward, contributing honestly, and influencing the work in meaningful ways.
In the session, “The Power of Agency,” Fred and Judith share what five decades of practice reveal about why some workplaces unlock people’s best thinking—and why others unintentionally shut it down. Their insights center on the everyday behaviors and systemic patterns that either fuel agency or limit it.
In this conversation, you’ll hear:
Why agency depends on the environment, not the individual
Fred and Judith explain that people already come into organizations with ideas, capability, and motivation. What gets in the way is often structural: unclear expectations, inconsistent communication, or leadership behaviors that signal “stay in your place.” Agency rises when systems support voice and participation.
How inclusion expands the space for contribution
They highlight how exclusion—whether through silence, hierarchy, or lack of access to information—shrinks people’s willingness to speak up. When individuals experience being seen, valued, and invited into key conversations, agency becomes a natural outcome.
Why clarity is the catalyst for initiative
Fred & Judtih emphasize how clear roles, expectations, and decision boundaries give people the confidence to act. When people know where they have freedom and where consultation is needed, performance accelerates.
How partnership relationships reinforce trust
Trust is built when leaders and team members engage one another in ways that communicate mutual respect and shared success. These partnership-based behaviors create the conditions where honest dialogue and proactive leadership can flourish.
Practical steps to start tomorrow
Share information more openly so people can make informed decisions. Co-create expectations instead of pushing them down. Interrupt patterns that exclude or silence. Ask your team where they feel blocked and where they need greater latitude to act. Small shifts in behavior can significantly expand agency.
If you’re working to build cultures where people step forward with confidence, strengthen collaboration, and take real ownership, this conversation offers a grounded perspective backed by decades of organizational experience.
You can watch the recording of the webinar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=a6hK42f_I3Xd9PhN&v=dtSvkqdRv2c&feature=youtu.be