The Year of (Your) Agency

I was having a conversation with a friend after a week packed with meetings, presentations, and more conversations than I could count. Something he said stuck with me: “A lot of people forget they have agency.”

He was being kind, talking about how I’d helped push through some changes by not waiting around for permission. The observation hit harder than the compliment.

You don’t have to wait.

This isn’t universally true. There are real constraints, real hierarchies, real reasons to proceed carefully. Really, this is about choice—and you probably have more than you believe. There are obstacles, sure. Maybe it’s a micromanaging boss, a broken process, or lack of resources. But you usually have control over something, even if it’s just the framing you bring to the table. Most people have more than that. They can take on a side project. Tinker and learn something new. Make connections across their networks. Shape the work they’re already doing. You might not be able to do it all, but you can almost always do something that matters.

From Agents to Agency

Last year was sometimes called “the year of agents” in generative AI. That proved true in my experience. We went from a tentative Claude Code trial in July to many of us writing little code but generating more of it than ever before.

While leading the effort to skill up our developers and introduce AI across the broader company, I’ve noticed something interesting: there’s a lot of fear of missing out, but also a lot of waiting. People want someone to hand them the answer on a silver platter. The world is changing fast, everyone’s trying to figure it out, and many people are sitting on the sidelines hoping someone will just tell them what to do.

The people who aren’t waiting? They’re the ones discovering the future.

When I recently asked around for help demoing AI use cases, I found answers in places I wouldn’t have expected. A project manager automating status updates and saving hours every week. An analytics consultant using Claude Code to clean up Tableau dashboards and document them. Another consultant managing Tableau Server at scale with AI assistance.

None of them waited for someone to say, “Hey, you should learn AI, and here’s exactly how to do it.” They grabbed access. They tinkered. They explored. They solved real problems that mattered to them. And thankfully, they shared what they learned with the rest of us.

That sharing is what made me realize this isn’t really about AI.

Agency Beyond AI

Of course, agency goes deeper than AI, and people are sitting on the sidelines in all kinds of ways. Most of us have access to a whole network we don’t leverage. Build your own personal brand. Submit talks to tech conferences. Create example projects for your GitHub. Text a friend you haven’t talked to in months and actually keep in touch.

It’s certainly something I’m aiming to do more in 2026. I’ve found great joy in this blog, with people reaching out from as far back as high school. It’s been a reminder that it only takes small signals and reach outs to keep things going. That applies to my job too—relationships are everything, especially in a world that feels like it’s getting more insular and tribal.

With the influx of AI agents submitting resumes and pinging customers, the noise is bigger than ever. Paradoxically, this means human connection speaks louder than it has in the past. It doesn’t take much—ask about someone’s kids, share an interesting article, check in on a hobby you know they care about. Small, simple, quick connections. They turn into something bigger. When LinkedIn is drowning in generated content, the authentic voice cuts through.

The challenge of this next year is striking that balance: being deeply human and analog while leveraging the digital and artificial to amplify what makes you you. And the opportunity has never been bigger.

Small Giants in a Golden Era

I’ve long been a believer in small giant companies, organizations that swing well above their weight by using efficiency and technology to outmaneuver larger competitors. What’s changed is that this is no longer just possible for companies. It’s possible for individuals.

The latest models, especially Opus 4.5 and Claude Code, make me feel we’re in a golden era for people who want to do big things with small resources. A single person with taste, judgment, and the right tools can now produce what used to require a team. A small consultancy can deliver what used to require an enterprise. The leverage is extraordinary, but only if you reach out and grab it.

The tools won’t do it for you. They amplify what you bring to them.

Choose to Do Something

I don’t know what this next year holds for AI. I do know you shouldn’t sit on the sidelines.

Don’t watch to see what shakes out. Don’t wait for someone to give you the answer. Don’t just identify problems without attempting to solve them. And please, don’t just generate slop.

Show your agency. Ask questions. Build prototypes. Apply your messy, beautiful human taste. Use the new tools around you to create something that’s both flawed and genuinely useful. Invite others to participate or learn alongside you.

In a world of artificial agents, the most human thing you can do is choose how to use them well.

First, choose to do something.

Choose to show your agency.

What’s one thing you’ve been waiting for permission to do? I’d love to hear about it—reach out on LinkedIn or Bluesky.