I think this is an interesting comment because it seems to try to re-locate agency back onto the manager. Ie. It’s not that the other manager was better, it’s that I somehow earned the better management. Correct me if I’m misinterpreting you.
It seems like a pretty standard (and simplified for HN) classification of employees who are and aren’t able to prioritize well.
Employees who can prioritize well will naturally be given more independence to make choices than those who don’t.
This of course assumes the management is able to make good decisions about prioritizing but I think the commenter should be given benefit of the doubt here.