Unlocking High Agency: Why Associations Need New Narratives, Not New Tasks

"Agent" is everywhere these days.

ChatGPT. Autonomous agents. AI-powered agents. The term is tossed around so often, it's starting to lose shape. It's become a buzzword. Trendy, vague, and a little bit mysterious.

But here's the thing: it's actually a powerful, useful concept once you unpack it. Especially for associations.

Let's talk about what it really means to have agency and why it matters.

Agency, at its heart, is simple. It's your ability to make intentional choices under uncertainty. To take action. To affect your world.

Notice that last bit: affect your world. Agency isn't just about deciding. It's about doing things that matter.

Agency isn't binary. It lives on a spectrum.

The Agency Spectrum and Associations

At the low-agency end, tasks are routine. Predictable. Repeatable. Necessary but not transformative.

Think paperwork. Data entry. Regulatory compliance checklists. Tasks that have clear steps, known outcomes, and zero ambiguity. These are the engine rooms of associations. They keep things running, but they don't move the needle.

At the high-agency end, you find innovation. Creativity. Strategic thinking. Relationship-building. Community leadership. These tasks aren't just uncertain. They're actively ambiguous. They require judgment. Imagination. Courage. They aren't just incremental improvements; they're leaps forward.

Associations live on this spectrum.

In fact, they have to.

They depend on standardized processes and consistent information (low agency) to ensure reliability. But their real magic, the reason associations have endured for centuries, is their ability to harness collective intelligence, inspire community, and drive meaningful change (high agency).

Every association balances these two extremes daily. Yet, there's a catch. Our resources are limited. Our energy is finite. So, where should associations spend their human capital? Where can they generate the most impact?

It's not a trick question. It's obvious. High agency tasks.

But why don't we do more of them?

Well, because high agency is hard. And it doesn't happen by accident.

Why Narrative is the Key to High Agency

High agency doesn't just appear spontaneously. It grows from something deeper: a coherent, compelling narrative that aligns with your mission, purpose, and values.

Stories are the operating system of human behavior. They tell us who we are, where we're going, and why it matters. When these stories directly connect to an association's foundational purpose and core values, they become extraordinarily powerful.

Associations have always known this. They don't just distribute information; they craft narratives. Stories that bind communities together, drive action, and inspire change all while reinforcing the mission that brought members together in the first place.

Think of the associations you admire most. They're not just repositories of best practices or industry standards. They're narrative engines. They have clarity. Identity. Purpose. They clearly communicate why they exist, what they believe, and where they're headed. Their mission isn't just a statement on their website. It's alive in everything they do.

Narrative coherence transforms members from passive recipients into active participants. Members don't just show up; they buy in. They don't just consume content; they live the story. They connect their personal values with the collective purpose of the organization.

That's high agency.

For example, the association that clearly communicates its narrative might say:

"We're here to elevate professional excellence." (Mission)

"We exist to advocate for critical policy change." (Purpose)

"We're dedicated to nurturing community and belonging." (Values)

When members align with these narratives and see how they connect to the organization's mission, engagement skyrockets. They become creators, leaders, and passionate advocates.

In other words, narrative coherence isn't nice-to-have; it's essential. 

How Associations Lose Their Narrative (and Thus Agency)

But here's the bad news: narrative coherence can erode.

And when it does, agency evaporates.

Associations often face this erosion without realizing it. Information overload creeps in. Compliance culture dominates. Staff become buried under administrative tasks. Knowledge gets fragmented and siloed. Conversations get transactional.

Gradually and then suddenly members and staff alike forget the story. Or worse, they stop believing in it. The mission statement becomes just words on paper. The purpose feels distant. The values feel performative rather than authentic.

Without clear narratives tied to mission and purpose, members become passive. Staff become reactive. Innovation slows. Passion fades. Associations shift from meaningful engagement to routine management.

They become low agency environments. Places that exist but no longer inspire.

Why?

Because without a clear narrative connected to authentic purpose, no one has the clarity or energy to confront uncertainty. Without a compelling story about where we're headed and why it matters, no one feels empowered to act.

That's the hidden cost of losing your narrative.

And it happens more often than we'd like to admit.

Restoring High Agency with the Right Tools

The good news? It doesn't have to be this way.

We can rebuild narrative coherence. And by extension, restore agency.

The first step is acknowledging that agency requires cognitive bandwidth. It needs space. If staff spend all day firefighting, searching through databases, or responding to routine queries, there's no room for reflection, creativity, or strategic storytelling that reinforces mission and values.

That's exactly why knowledge assistants like Betty matter.

Tools like Betty quietly handle low-agency tasks. Answering routine member questions, locating documents, organizing information. Betty reduces friction, frees up mental space, and allows associations to redirect their limited human resources toward high-agency tasks.

With low-agency work offloaded, staff can shift their focus back to crafting and communicating powerful narratives. They can clarify who the association serves, why it matters, and what future it seeks to build. All in direct alignment with the organization's founding purpose and enduring values.

Narrative coherence returns. Agency blossoms.

Suddenly, associations aren't just reactive. They're proactive.

They aren't just custodians of information. They're authors of change.

And that subtle shift from compliance-driven routines to narrative-driven leadership aligned with mission and purpose doesn't just feel better. It creates significantly more value. 

High Agency is the Future

Associations are at a crossroads. The world is getting more complex, not less. Member expectations are growing, not shrinking. Information is abundant, but attention is scarce.

Low agency culture won't cut it anymore.

The associations that thrive will be those that intentionally elevate their narrative coherence and thus their organizational agency. They'll recognize that high agency isn't just a buzzword; it's the path to survival, relevance, and meaningful impact. And they'll ensure that every story they tell reinforces their core mission, purpose, and values.

Tools matter, but the philosophy behind them matters even more. The choice associations face isn't whether to automate. It's what they choose to automate, and why.

By offloading low-agency work and focusing human talent on narrative coherence and high agency tasks, associations can reclaim their most valuable asset: clarity of purpose.

This isn't just an incremental improvement. It's a leap forward.

It's the step-change we need.

High agency isn't the future because it sounds good. It's the future because it works.

And associations with their unique combination of narrative power, community reach, and purpose-driven missions are perfectly positioned to lead the way.

The only question left is:

Are we ready?