People want to be included at work—to contribute their skills, ideas, and perspectives. However, efforts to build inclusion often stall when agency isn’t part of the equation. Yet, too many are “smothered” by permission hurdles, over-checking, and micromanagement. When people are trusted to act and make decisions within their role, they work with greater ownership, speed, and accountability. Inclusion—and people—grow when people are treated not as doers, but as leaders of their own jobs. When organizations are bold enough to put aside the unrealized promise of “empowerment”—which says “I will let you”—and create the conditions for people to exercise their agency, individuals thrive, teams become more effective, and organizations achieve higher performance. In this session, we will share insights and strategies from 50+ years of working with clients, along with specific actions individuals, managers, and executives can take to stop micromanaging and create leaders in every seat.