Creating Leverage and Owning Your Agency

In this lesson, we discuss how setting boundaries at work becomes much easier when you have leverage and are genuinely willing to act on your alternatives. When faced with an unreasonable manager or unsustainable workload, timing and preparation matter: difficult conversations are more effective when they happen outside the heat of a crisis, and meaningful boundaries require enough confidence and optionality to accept that the answer may ultimately be “no.”

• Build leverage before you need it: Strong performance, valuable skills, professional relationships, and outside opportunities give you more freedom to advocate for yourself without relying on aggressive demands.
• Set boundaries before the next crisis: Address recurring problems during calmer moments rather than waiting until another unreasonable request arrives, giving both you and your manager time to find a better solution.
• Recognize and use your agency: If an organization consistently treats employees as replaceable or refuses to improve an unsustainable situation, changing your circumstances may require additional effort first—whether that means networking, developing new skills, or finding another opportunity.

Original podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WaeGfLnRvc&t=24s