Michealle Gady, JD
President, Founder, & CEO
At the end of the year, my team and I engage in an intensive planning process. While planning is necessarily forward-focused, this process is an excellent opportunity for reflection.
“Reflection is one of the most underused yet powerful tools for success.”
At the end of the year, my team and I engage in an intensive planning process. While planning is necessarily forward-focused, this process is an excellent opportunity for reflection. I am thankful for the incredible team I have at Atrómitos. Their integrity and thoughtfulness ensure that we look at problems from all sides. This means recognizing the good, the bad, and the ugly; we acknowledge that things did not go as planned or that we did not perform as we should have. With this information, I make decisions – some of them are difficult and uncomfortable – that are in the best interest of the team and the company. By acknowledging and addressing the difficult and uncomfortable, growth is possible. To me, this is the crux of being fearless, and it is what Atrómitos strives for every day: to believe in “better” and to be willing to change to make room for “better.”
I am grateful for my team’s support in these moments and throughout the year. I am honored that they trust me to bring me problems and work with me to find solutions.
I am equally thankful that our wonderful clients do the same. We often bring information to clients about how things are actually working (or not working) and tell them why and how it has to be different. We know these moments can be difficult. We approach every engagement with a commitment to do better, even when that is hard or seems impossible.
Although we have emerged from the Pandemic, this year has been another of trials and tribulations. We are all navigating the impact of inflation. Employees are wading through burnout. Many have experienced layoffs, and more are worried that they are next. Employers are trying to figure out how to improve the work environment. In the healthcare industry, providers are confronted with the Tripledemic, loss of staff, burnout, and financial strain.
It has also been a year of wonderful moments! At Atrómitos, two new team members – Liz Hait and Alex Patton – joined us. They are brilliant and are making meaningful contributions to the success of Atrómitos and our clients. We are so proud that they are a part of our team. Important pieces of legislation (while certainly not perfect) have been enacted, including the Respect for Marriage Act and Inflation Reduction Act. New protections for consumers have gone into effect under the No Surprises Act. We saw the world rise in support of Ukraine after Russia’s invasion, from significant geopolitical actions to personal actions, such as my friend sponsoring refugees from Ukraine and giving up her home to them and supporting them in enrolling in school, finding jobs, getting a car, and so much more.
On a personal note, my family and I moved across the country from NC to WA. Upon arriving in WA, our dear friends have all been here for us, ensuring a soft and successful landing. One that has enabled us to jump back into friendships after being gone for almost a decade. During this time, I’ve been able to home-school my son. This is the most challenging, most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. It has given me the most remarkable insight into my son. It has also given me a new perspective that I have carried into my leadership role at Atrómitos.
As 2022 comes to an end and 2023 peeks around the corner, I leave you with this:
“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.”