Jackie Insinger - Spark Brilliance Spark Memos
Your weekly boost of practical leadership wisdom - rooted in neuroscience, backed by data, and crafted for real-world results. Each memo offers a spark of insight to help you lead with clarity, empathy, and purpose - especially when things get messy.
Human Connection: The Advantage AI Will Never Have
Human Connection: The Advantage AI Will Never Have Hey Spark Family, We’re leading in a moment where technology can do almost anything - write code, create content, analyze data, even simulate empathy. But as leaders, we know something algorithms can’t replicate: the human connection that fuels trust, belonging, and brilliance. Because no matter how fast technology advances, people don’t thrive on automation... they thrive on authentic connection. And right now, that’s exactly what’s missing...
Clarity Is the Leadership Opportunity of 2025
Clarity Is the Leadership Opportunity of 2025 Hey Spark Family, In nearly every leadership conversation I’ve had this year, one theme keeps coming up: the noise. Leaders are navigating more messages, meetings, and mixed priorities than ever before. Teams are exhausted by change, overwhelmed by information, and craving one thing above all else - clarity. Because clarity isn’t just a communication skill. It’s a leadership strategy. When people understand what’s expected of them, where they’re...
You Can’t Hold Others Accountable When You’re Exhausted
You Can’t Hold Others Accountable When You’re Exhausted Hey Spark Family, You can feel it the moment you walk into a meeting... the energy in the room tells you everything. Some teams buzz with focus and optimism. Others feel tense before the first word is spoken. That difference isn’t luck. It’s leadership. Because in times of exhaustion, people look to their leaders not just for answers, but for energy. And that’s where accountability begins. When you’re burned out, it’s easy to confuse...
Your Strategy Changed. Did Your People?
Your Strategy Changed. Did Your People? Hey Spark Family, Organizations everywhere are in motion. Shifting markets. Rising expectations. Fresh challenges and opportunities. Every business is being called to adapt - not just to a new kind of customer, but to a new kind of workforce, and a new kind of future. For some, that means preparing for an M&A or IPO. For others, it’s going digital, launching major new products, or building out a true omnichannel business. Whatever the scenario, one...
Your Leadership Bench Might Be Breaking
Your Leadership Bench Might Be Breaking Hey Spark Family, Succession planning and leadership pipelines are on every agenda right now. And for good reason - developing future leaders is one of the most critical priorities for any organization. But here’s what I keep seeing: in the rush to build bench strength, many companies are exhausting the very people they’re trying to prepare. High-potential employees get overloaded with stretch assignments on top of their full workload. Instead of...
Anxiety Is Contagious. So Is Calm.
Anxiety Is Contagious. So Is Calm. Hey Spark Family, Lately, I’ve been hearing the same thing from leaders and teams alike: people are anxious. Anxious about the economy. About job security. About technology. About what’s next. And anxiety doesn’t just sit quietly inside one person. It spreads. When one person is on edge, that energy ripples through a team. The good news? Calm spreads too. Leaders have more influence than they realize in shaping whether anxiety spirals or steadies. The...
The #1 Engagement Strategy You’re Ignoring
The #1 Engagement Strategy You’re Ignoring Hey Spark Family, Global engagement is slipping, and wellbeing is declining right along with it. Gallup’s 2025 report shows managers are right at the center of this story. Managers account for up to 70 percent of the variance in team engagement, yet their own engagement and wellbeing are falling faster than those they lead. When managers are stretched thin, their teams disengage. When managers thrive, their teams follow. The Research Is Clear ➡...
How to Shield Your Team from a Toxic Culture
How to Shield Your Team from a Toxic Culture Hey Spark Family, When the culture around you turns toxic, it can feel like quicksand. Morale slips, trust erodes, and good people leave. Leaders in these environments often tell me, “I feel powerless.” The good news is, while you may not be able to shift the entire system overnight, you can create what I call micro-cultures of excellence - pockets of safety, clarity, and connection where your team can thrive, regardless of the chaos outside. The...
The Leadership Flex That Actually Builds Trust
The Leadership Flex That Actually Builds Trust Hey Spark Family, Let’s talk about a leadership flex that actually builds trust.Not having all the answers.Not charging forward with forced confidence.But something far more impactful - being human. In the leadership rooms I’m in lately, people are exhausted from pretending.Pretending they’re certain. Pretending they’re fine. But the best leaders I know?They show up with clarity and vulnerability.And that’s what earns loyalty. The Research Is...
You’re Not Failing - You’re Evolving
You’re Not Failing - You’re Evolving Hey Spark Family, Let’s talk about something I see every day in my coaching work:Leaders doing the hard work to grow, only to second-guess themselves when it doesn’t feel good right away. Maybe that’s you right now. You’re showing up differently. You’re trying to unlearn old habits. You’re leading with more intention, more trust, more humanity. But instead of feeling empowered, you feel… unsure. Wobbly. Disconnected from your old confidence. That doesn’t...
Your weekly boost of practical leadership wisdom - rooted in neuroscience, backed by data, and crafted for real-world results. Each memo offers a spark of insight to help you lead with clarity, empathy, and purpose - especially when things get messy.