At ATL, we’ve been exploring Should vs Could with our clients this year.
It’s a mindset and decision-making tool designed to help businesses separate pressure-driven thinking from practical, value-led action.
Most businesses struggle because too many decisions are made from “should.”
- “We should upgrade this system.”
- “We should be doing what competitors are doing.”
- “We should be moving faster because it feels like we’re behind.”
“Should” creates urgency. But it doesn’t always create clarity.
The “Could vs Should” function helps bring the focus back to what actually fits the business, not what feels expected.
Across multiple client conversations, especially at the mid-year point, a pattern has emerged. Businesses are often caught between what they feel they should improve and what they could improve if they stepped back.
A client came to us earlier this year convinced they should replace their CRM.
The reasoning was familiar: it wasn’t the newest system it didn’t match what competitors were using it felt like a “limiting factor” for growth
On the surface, it sounded like a logical upgrade but when we applied the Should vs Could function, we reframed the conversation.
Instead of:
“We should change our CRM”
We asked:
“What could we do with what we already have?”
Once we stepped back and reviewed how the CRM was actually being used:
- Key features weren’t being utilised
- Processes weren’t consistently followed
- Data was there, but not being used effectively
The issue was the application of the system.
By moving from “should we replace it?” to “could we improve how we use it?”, the business:
- avoided unnecessary replacement costs
- improved internal consistency
- reduced operational friction
- gained better visibility from existing data
How ATL applies the Should vs Could Function
At ATL, we use this approach to help businesses step back from reactive decision-making.
We help businesses:
- assess whether change is actually necessary
- identify underused potential in existing systems
- reduce unnecessary complexity
- make clearer, more intentional decisions
Sometimes that leads to change. Often it leads to better use of what’s already in place.
Not every improvement requires something new. Sometimes the most effective move is asking a simpler question. Are we doing this because we should… or because we could do it better another way?