How Leaders Can Build a High-Agency CultureSKIP TO CONTENTHarvard Business Review LogoHarvard Business Review LogoOrganizational culture|How Leaders Can Build a High-Agency CultureSubscribeSign InLatestMagazineTopicsPodcastsStoreReading ListsData & VisualsCase SelectionsHBR ExecutiveSearch hbr.orgSubscribeLatestPodcastsThe MagazineStoreWebinarsNewslettersAll TopicsReading ListsData & VisualsCase SelectionsHBR ExecutiveMy LibraryAccount SettingsSign InExplore HBRLatestThe MagazinePodcastsStoreWebinarsNewslettersPopular TopicsManaging YourselfLeadershipStrategyManaging TeamsGenderInnovationWork-life BalanceAll TopicsFor SubscribersReading ListsData & VisualsCase SelectionsHBR ExecutiveSubscribeMy AccountMy LibraryTopic FeedsOrdersAccount SettingsEmail PreferencesSign InHarvard Business Review LogoOrganizational cultureHow Leaders Can Build a High-Agency Culture by Nir EyalMarch 25, 2026Richard Drury/Getty ImagesPostPostShareSavePrintSummary.   Leer en españolLer em portuguêsPostPostShareSavePrintWhen Larry Culp became CEO of General Electric in October 2018, he was the first outsider to lead the company in its 126-year history. He inherited a crisis that looked terminal. GE’s stock had plummeted, falling 45% in 2017 and another 58% in 2018. The company’s debt load far exceeded its market capitalization, and its credit rating was sliding toward junk. The corporation that had been worth $594 billion in 2000, making it the most valuable company in the world, had become, by most Wall Street accounts, a slow-motion collapse.Nir Eyal is the bestselling author of Hooked and Indistractable. His latest book is Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Extraordinary Results. He has taught at Stanford Graduate School of Business and writes at NirAndFar.com.

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Nir Eyal’s article, “How Leaders Can Build a High-Agency Culture,” examines the critical transformation required to revitalize a struggling organization like General Electric, highlighting the shift from traditional command-and-control management to one fostering employee autonomy and accountability—a “high-agency culture.” The piece begins by detailing the dire circumstances faced by GE under Larry Culp’s leadership, illustrating a company teetering on the brink of collapse due to a precipitous decline in value, excessive debt, and a critically low credit rating, a stark contrast to its previous status as the world’s most valuable company. Culp's appointment marked a significant turning point, representing the first time an external leader steered the company, a move rooted in the recognition that the existing structure was failing to adapt to increasingly complex challenges.

Eyal’s central argument revolves around the concept of “high-agency,” defined as the degree to which individuals feel a sense of ownership, purpose, and control over their work. He posits that traditional hierarchical organizations often stifle this sense of agency, leading to disengagement, reduced productivity, and ultimately, failure to innovate. Instead, successful organizations—as exemplified by Culp’s efforts at GE—cultivate a culture where employees are empowered to make decisions, take risks, and contribute meaningfully to the company’s success. This, according to Eyal, necessitates a fundamental shift in leadership style.

The author utilizes the GE example, though briefly, to illustrate the core principles of building a high-agency culture. Culp’s strategy centered on a dramatically different approach compared to previous leadership, focusing on operational excellence and streamlining processes—tactics designed to quickly improve the company’s financial performance. However, it was coupled with a deliberate effort to grant greater autonomy to individual teams and employees. This wasn’t simply delegation; it involved designing systems that encouraged self-direction and accountability—a key component of fostering a sense of ownership. By reducing bureaucracy and empowering teams to solve problems, Culp aimed to unlock the untapped potential within the organization.

Eyal draws upon his research and writing, particularly from his book *Hooked*, to explain the psychological mechanisms behind human behavior and motivation. He suggests that leaders can engineer cultures that align with these natural tendencies by providing clear goals, offering opportunities for feedback, and recognizing and rewarding achievement. Furthermore, he references his work on *Indistractable*, indicating that effective engagement stems from individuals’ ability to control their attention and resist distractions, a skill enhanced when they are invested in the work and feel a sense of purpose. Essentially, creating a ‘high-agency’ environment helps individuals become ‘indistractable’ – more focused and driven to accomplish what they set out to do.

The article doesn't provide a prescriptive blueprint, but rather a framework for leaders to consider. It emphasizes that establishing a high-agency culture is not a quick fix; it requires a sustained commitment to changing the organization’s underlying assumptions and behaviors. Eyal clarifies that this transition necessitates a shift in leadership mindset, moving from directing employees to facilitating their success, and trusting in their capabilities—a departure from the more directive management styles traditionally associated with larger, established corporations like GE. The core takeaway is that by intentionally designing systems and processes that foster employee agency, leaders can unlock greater innovation, productivity, and ultimately, sustained organizational success.