You've heard the buzzwords: agency, choice, control, predictability. But if you've ever tried to implement all of them at once and you know it can feel like trying to juggle 100 balls. Emily and Allie break down why agency isn't a pass/fail ethical litmus test, but rather a set of individual dials you can turn up or down depending on your learner, your context, and your real-life constraints.
Whether you're working with a rescue dog who's never seen an open door as an option, a senior pup navigating the stairs, or yourself trying to make it through a brutal work sprint, this conversation reframes how to think about autonomy, empowerment, and what it actually means to give someone more agency in the real world.
TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways
1️⃣ Agency Has More Dials Than You Think — Skill and bandwidth are missing from most conversations about agency, and leaving them out sets up both trainers and learners to struggle.
2️⃣ Dials, Not Checklists — You don't need to have all the dials turned up at once. Knowing which specific dial to adjust makes you more effective, more sustainable, and less overwhelmed.
3️⃣ Predictability Is Often the Most Accessible Place to Start — When choice and control aren't possible, a simple predictability cue can meaningfully restore a sense of agency for your learner.
For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here.
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