People who stand out aren’t always the most knowledgeable, experienced, or connected.
Not at first anyway.
But what they tend to have is high agency. This is noteworthy because most people do not.
Most people, in most contexts, have fairly low agency. They wait to be given instructions. They look around to see what peers do and emulate the crowd. They seek validation from others. They ask for permission where none is required. Or they don’t care enough to commit and apply themselves.
This is true both in the classroom and the workplace.
Low-agency students do the basics to earn their degrees. They only read the assigned readings. They view success as checking boxes and satisfying rubrics.
High-agency students demonstrate a desire for growth. They learn in their leisure time and work on personal projects. They take advantage of their resources. They seek opportunities to do and be more.
Low-agency employees punch in and out. They only do as they’re told. They give excuses for why things can’t change: “This is the way we’ve always done it.”
High-agency employees take pride in their work. They do what needs to be done. They find ways to make life better for customers and coworkers alike. They exercise influence without authority.
Yes, we should foster environments – classrooms and workplaces – that engage people to perform their best work. But in any setting, there are those who will and those who won’t put in the effort.
Even many startup founders have low agency. They do more talking than building. They apply to one accelerator or pitch competition after another. It makes them feel legitimate, since they don’t have real customers. Invariably, they wait for permission and fail to take ownership: “Our advisor says…” or “One VC told us…” or “We’re not allowed to do that because…” It’s not about the words – it’s their mentality.
In contrast, high-agency founders don’t make excuses. They don’t ask for permission. They don’t wait for approval. They push through setbacks and brush off rejections. They find a way to make it happen.
See, high-agency people stand out because they get things done.
They may not start out as the most knowledgeable, experienced, or connected. But because they show themselves to be driven and capable – that they are worth knowing and investing in – others will want to help them. So their network will scale. Their learning will accelerate. Their successes will compound.
Likewise, if you want to achieve your highest potential, begin where you are. Apply what you know. Do what you can with what you have. In most cases, you don’t need permission – not from your professor or advisor, your manager or peers. It may be nice to have their support, but go it alone if you must.
As you do, you will attract supporters and friends. And often, the naysayers will change their tune.
Update: As some of you know, I’ve written a book about professional networking to be published this Fall. I’ve reviewed and approved the interior layout. Now it looks like a book and not just a Word document. One step closer!
In line with the book, I will pivot Wisdom & Wonderings to all things networking and career. It will retain the spirit of intentionality, as we always discuss, while covering the ins and outs of building authentic relationships. Stay tuned.