Navigating the New Era of Complexity: Why I Relaunched Spark Consulting Group

After several incredible years helping some of the world's top organizations advance their innovation programs at Brightidea, I’m excited to share a new chapter. Following a recent reorganization, Brightidea and I mutually agreed it was the right time to move forward on different paths. I'm deeply grateful for my time with the company — for the opportunity to work with such talented colleagues, to contribute to solutions like the Memo product and Memo Maturity Model, to help craft a world-class Hackathon Methodology, and to manage strategic projects that strengthened internal operations and enhanced customer success.

I’m thrilled to officially relaunch Spark Consulting Group — a firm dedicated to helping organizations not just survive, but thrive through complexity and change.

The Landscape Has Changed

The innovation landscape is evolving faster than ever.

• Geopolitical uncertainty has disrupted global supply chains, reshaped markets, and created volatility at every level.

• Artificial Intelligence, once a futuristic concept, has exploded into the mainstream. Three years ago, terms like "generative AI" weren’t part of most business conversations. Today, organizations are scrambling to understand, integrate, and adapt.

• Organizational paralysis has become more common. Reorganizations, budget cuts, and shifting priorities contribute to a sense of uncertainty and hesitation.

At the same time, employee engagement is at historic lows. Recent research shows that the vast majority of employees are either disengaged or actively considering new opportunities.

Organizations are facing a silent crisis:

You can't future-proof your business when your people are disconnected — and when there’s no shared clarity around the challenges and opportunities you face.

If you map today’s excitement around AI onto models like the Gartner Hype Cycle or the Dunning-Kruger Effect, (credit ti Robin Mulkers) a familiar pattern emerges: initial overconfidence, inevitable disillusionment, and — for those who invest wisely — a hard-earned path toward meaningful, sustainable progress. We are early in the AI hype cycle, while many are claiming expertise and that it will change everything, few can describe how. Unfortunately, we will be going through a trough of disillusionment, but I'm confident we can address the complexity and understand how this emerging technology can enable improved outcomes.

The Real Challenge: It's Still Human

Technology may accelerate possibilities, but people determine outcomes. The true challenge isn’t adopting new tools — it’s building the trust, alignment, and resilience needed to navigate uncertainty together.

Innovation requires more than tech adoption. It demands:

• A clear understanding of where you are (not just where you want to go)

• A culture that fosters connection, curiosity, and psychological safety

• Processes that support experimentation and learning without punishing failure

Without these foundations, even the best technologies can't save an organization from stagnation.

In times of uncertainty, the instinct is often to retreat — to "protect" instead of plant and cultivate. But eating your seed corn (of course, I had to have an Iowa-based analogy) today only deepens tomorrow’s crisis.

And it’s not just internal teams who are impacted. The human side of innovation touches every stakeholder — employees, customers, users, and partners alike. When organizations lose sight of the human experience, excitement around new technologies often turns to confusion, frustration, and disillusionment.

Understanding this dynamic is critical today, especially with the rapid emergence of AI and other disruptive technologies. To truly innovate, we must recognize — and manage — the human emotional journey that accompanies change.

Why Spark, Why Now?

Spark Consulting Group was founded with a simple but powerful idea: Organizations can build the skills and structures to thrive in uncertainty — but they need the right support.

At Spark, we help teams move from Fuzzy to Feasible™ — navigating the early ambiguity of new ideas and guiding them toward clear, actionable strategies and solutions.

Our work is grounded in:

• Over 25 years of hands-on experience across industries

• Deep research into innovation, complexity, and decision-making

• A human-centered approach that prioritizes sustainable success, not just quick wins

Whether you're launching a new initiative, revitalizing an innovation program, or trying to make sense of emerging technologies, Spark can help you move forward — with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

An Invitation

If your organization is grappling with uncertainty, facing complexity, or trying to spark more effective innovation, I’d love to connect.

Let’s explore how we can work together to turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities — and build the resilient, innovative future your organization deserves.

You can reach me through Spark Consulting Group or connect with me directly on LinkedIn.