Agency

n.capable, resilientprofessional

What it means

The effective power to make choices and act on them.

Reach for it when emphasizing real control rather than nominal permission

Flexible scheduling gave the residents more agency over their daily routines.

everyday
choice
selection between genuine options is the immediate fact
not when Choice alone does not provide the ability to carry a decision through.
everyday
control
direct influence over outcomes should be stated plainly
not when Control may be coercive, whereas agency requires a respected capacity to choose.
warm
empowerment
power or confidence has been actively strengthened
not when Empowerment can become empty rhetoric when decision rights remain elsewhere.
warm
independence
reliance on others has been meaningfully reduced
not when Collaborative agency can thrive through interdependence; complete independence is unnecessary.
warm
voice
someone can influence a shared decision and be heard
not when Voice does not guarantee authority over the final outcome.
professional
autonomy
freedom from external control is the central right
not when Autonomy can exist formally while a person lacks resources to act.
professional
initiative
someone begins useful action without waiting for instruction
not when Initiative is a behavior, while agency is the underlying capacity.
formal
self-determination
people set their own direction on matters affecting their lives
not when Self-determination is weighty language for a minor workplace choice.

personal agency
The program protects personal agency by offering several care options.
sense of agency
Completing the repair restored her sense of agency.
exercise agency
Students exercise agency when they choose the question they will investigate.
greater agency
Direct access to the data gave local teams greater agency.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.