“I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it.”
~Maya Angelou
Today, we’re covering the sixth and final AmazeWorks Condition for Belonging: Agency. 🥳
Agency is the belief and confidence that, as an individual, you can affect positive change in your own life and within your group or organization. A sense of agency empowers us to use our voices and push back against daily and systemic injustices. When we exercise our agency, we invest in a world where every person belongs.
While leadership plays a powerful role in creating a culture where agency is encouraged, they can’t do it alone. Every person, at every level, has a responsibility to build environments where everyone can use their voice and influence change.
In this edition, we’ll explore:
To use our voices and exercise agency, we must first strive for psychological safety: the belief that it’s okay to take risks, express ideas and concerns, speak up with questions, and admit mistakes without fear of negative consequences. Risk-taking, providing feedback, and taking accountability empower innovation and culture change in the workplace.
If you’ve attended an AmazeWorks workshop, you may recall the distinction we make between a safe and brave space in the Brave Space poem by Beth Strano and adapted by Micky ScottBey Jones:
“Together we will create brave space
Because there is no such thing as a ‘safe space'”
Why the distinction? Despite our best intentions, safety cannot be guaranteed when we bring unique identities and lived experiences into the room. There is so much outside of our control, ranging from one person’s bad day to a city’s natural disaster. We can never promise safety, whether that’s physical, emotional, psychological or otherwise.
Instead, think of psychological safety as a shared mindset we work toward. A brave space is what allows it to thrive.
And as the poem ends:
“We will work on it side by side.”
That’s the core truth of agency—everyone must participate in creating the conditions for belonging.
Consider:
When mistakes are met with curiosity instead of shame, and questions are treated as opportunities instead of disruptions, innovation and agency flourish.
How can you help create a workplace where people feel empowered to use their voices? Try these strategies:
Adapted from Advancing Belonging in Organizations: An Equity Fluent Leadership Playbook, Berkeley Center for Equity, Gender & Leadership, 2024.
Wegmans Food Markets champions employee agency by providing diverse feedback opportunities for team members, including one-on-one conversations, digital profiles, and the “Ask Jack” (now “Ask Bob”) program, which allows staff to send ideas directly to the Senior VP of Operations. With around 1,200 submissions each year, it’s clear that employees see this as a trusted channel for influence.
By building multiple structures that encourage employee feedback, Wegmans sends a message that every voice matters. And when people feel brave enough to speak up, they’re more likely to spark the kind of change that strengthens culture, engagement, and business outcomes.
Being Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable
Join us Wednesday, September 10 from 12-1PM CT for our LAST free webinar: Being Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable.
Discomfort is a part of growth—especially in times of polarization and change. This hour will explore how to create brave spacesvs. safe spaces, respond instead of react when we are triggered or stressed, and build connection over protection through healthy conflict. Learn how normalizing discomfort can help overcome othering and foster true belonging at work and beyond.
The Bringing Belonging to Work webinar series has put belonging on the lunch menu, sharing bite-sized ways to bring belonging to life in your workplace. Spend your lunch hour with AmazeWorks on 9/10 and register today!
Building resilience strengthens our agency and our ability to enact change. Complete this self-assessment, created by Elena Aguilar, to consider how you can improve your habits and dispositions. The journey towards equity and belonging for all in the workplace is a long one. This resource can help you develop a plan that works for you.
This article by Jerad Green & Andrea Pérez-Maikkula suggests that psychological agency holds more influential power for people of color than psychological safety. They define psychological agency for people of color as “the ability for us to decide how much of ourselves we bring to work, when we do it, who gets to experience our whole selves, and to what degree.”
Check out our video series where we analyze the same workplace scenario from different perspectives, exploring how different identities, roles, and experiences might impact our resolution strategies.
