Let us walk you through how we typically help leaders get started with the ATOM model.

Rather than jump right into the four quadrants, we find it's helpful to first have an open discussion about the challenges and opportunities the organization is facing in today's disruptive market environment. What pain points and aspirations do leaders have? How might the company benefit from increased agility? This dialogue builds motivation and frames why new approaches are valuable.

Next, we provide a high-level overview of the ATOM model—how it bridges traditional thinking and agile principles through familiar financial lenses of revenue, costs and organizational health. We present it not as an all-encompassing solution, but as a starting point for expanding mindsets and tools.

Before diving into the details of each quadrant, we facilitate an interactive mapping session where we plot where the organization is currently focusing—its core initiatives, investments and priorities. This helps reveal which ATOM quadrants are ripe for attention. Often, companies realize they've unintentionally neglected the "avoid costs" perspective critical for long-term resilience.

With priorities identified, I suggest leaders pick just 1-2 initiatives to begin applying ATOM thinking to. For example, a project aimed at reducing production costs could become an opportunity to increase team autonomy and iterative improvement cycles. We brainstorm, blend approaches, and clarify metrics to track. I encourage starting small, then scaling.

Throughout the process, I emphasize principles like transparency, collaboration, learning cycles and workforce empowerment. While ATOM introduces the mindset shift gently, integrating these broader agile values is essential over time. We provide coaching and resources to support leaders and teams in this behavior change process.

The most rewarding moments come when leaders share their insights and "ah-ha" moments about how agile approaches are propelling performance, innovation and employee fulfillment in ways they didn't think possible. The ATOM model opens the door, then deeper transformation takes hold!