Like many a wandering soul before me, my introduction to the concepts that would ultimately shape my worldview came through what one might call a blessed mishap—or perhaps, a fortunate stumble in the grand dance of fate. There I was, a directionless young man of working-class origins, toiling away in the fluorescent-lit purgatory of retail, with neither university-educated parents nor well-meaning but meddlesome relatives to guide my path. And so, like any hopeful aspirant dreaming of future prosperity, I cast my nets wide: five different degree programs at five different universities, each as unrelated to the other as stars scattered across the night sky. When all but one shut their doors, I found myself accepting the sole offer extended—a rather unassuming “Bachelor of Social Science.” Yet, as any seasoned adventurer might tell you, sometimes the most profound treasures lie in the most unexpected caves.

From the very first lecture emerged a framework so profound that it continues to echo through the chambers of my mind to this day, informing my observations, my counsel, and my solutions to life’s various puzzles. This framework reveals the intricate dance between structure and agency—a complex pas de deux that, while perhaps appearing mundane at first glance, offers a lens through which we might better understand not just organizations and societies, but the very fabric of our daily struggles and triumphs.

But before we venture deeper into this labyrinth, let us first illuminate these twin concepts:

Consider structure—the invisible architecture of our existence, the unseen scaffolding that shapes our possibilities and limitations. It manifests as laws, cultural norms, organizational procedures, and even the humble job description that defines our daily bread.

Then there’s agency—the counterpoint to structure’s rigid symphony. It is our capacity to compose our own melody within—or sometimes against—these established rhythms. The fascinating part? These two forces are locked in an eternal waltz of influence.

This dynamic duo manifests in nearly every sphere of our mortal coil. In the workplace, for instance, your position description represents structure, while your ability to interpret, challenge, or navigate it with creative flair represents agency. But there exists a third player in this cosmic dance, one that adds spice to the whole affair: Power.

Power, as the sage Bertrand Russell once proclaimed, is simply “the ability to produce intended effects.” And oh, what effects it can produce! One’s ability to achieve these intended effects is profoundly shaped by the strength and omnipresence of the structure within which—or against which—one exercises their power. In fact, power becomes the very currency of agency, the means by which individuals might bend, shape, or even shatter the structures that constrain them.

But here’s where our tale takes an ironic turn: when individuals successfully wield their power to challenge existing structures, what typically follows? Like clockwork, they often establish new structures of their own. The revolutionary becomes the administrator; the disruptor becomes the rule-maker. Why? Because we humans, perpetually haunted by the specter of existential anxiety, seek to institutionalize our victories into bastions of security.

This pattern springs from our very nature. We’re hardwired to seek safety in the storm of existence. So when we achieve change through individual agency, we naturally seek to preserve it through new structures. It’s a grand cosmic joke: agency creates change, structure preserves it, and power mediates between them like a capricious referee.

The implications of this dance touch every aspect of our lives. Are you bound by rules you deem unjust? How much agency do you truly possess in your various roles—parent, partner, managing director, humble sales clerk? Does your yearning for autonomy strain against the boundaries of current structures? These aren’t merely philosophical musings—they’re practical concerns that color our daily existence.

Perhaps it’s the philosophical Taoist in me, but I believe that society, organizations, businesses, and communities thrive best when they maintain a delicate balance between structure and agency. Too much agency breeds chaos, while too much structure creates a dystopian nightmare bereft of creativity and innovation.

Yet, in our eternal quest to escape the void of anxiety at our core, we’ve become increasingly obsessed with security. We crave structure, even when we know it might not serve our highest good. In recent times, we’ve begun to unconsciously drift toward structure like moths to a flame, potentially stifling the very innovation and progress that makes collective endeavor worthwhile.

Consider this paradox: the very structures that provide stability often prevent necessary change, while agency, though potentially destabilizing, often catalyzes the crucial innovations that remind us why we chose to be part of the collective in the first place. The challenge, therefore, lies in finding ways to nurture healthy agency while maintaining enough structure to address our universal need for security.

My accidental foray into social science proved to be a fortunate twist in my tale—it provided me with tools to understand these fundamental tensions in human organization. And so I leave you with this question: How might we promote beneficial change while acknowledging our deep-seated need for security? This is the riddle I continue to ponder, and I invite you to contemplate it within your own story.

After all, aren’t we all players in this grand dance between structure and agency, seeking to leave our mark while navigating the labyrinths that surround us?