Ruckus actively facilitates the bringing of something new or different into the real world that offers tangible value and makes a significant impact… anything less is likely not worth your time.

Ruckus is a boutique consulting company that guides individuals and organizations through the journey of innovation utilizing experienced facilitation, research-informed visual and design-thinking methodologies, vision and value prototyping, implementation strategies, and fanatical collaboration workshopping.

Ruckus is based in Austin, Texas, wears boots on the weekdays, flip-flops on the weekends, and is serious about having fun while going big!

Chris Tisdel is the Founder of Ruckus Innovation Consulting and has 25+ years of global experience as a designer, catalyst for innovation, strategic consultant, founder, and angel investor in design, engineering, and technology industries. He has been an innovation leader across private and public sectors.

Chris has facilitated over 250+ workshops thoughtfully guiding multiple organizations through their respective journeys for innovation.  Facilitating amazing people along the way, Chris developed an integrated and highly adaptable innovation program methodology known at the Strategitorium.  This program methodology puts people and their ideas first, recoils at the notion that "ideas are a dime-a-dozen", and revels in the knowledge that your idea is going to be the next big thing!

The Ruckus philosophy has developed over time through working with many great organizations that have been looking to “start over” in one way or another. These organizations are often very good at what they do, both from the perspective of expertise in their respective fields or industries and from a financial perspective… they know how to make money. However, at some level or scale they have reached that stage that Mark Parker, CEO of Nike, described as, “…this big, slow, constipated, bureaucratic company that’s happy with its success.” I sincerely believe that most of us can understand where Mark is coming from. How on the nose is the use of the word “constipated?” It really paints a picture.

Typically, at the point of sheer frustration at the notion that “this is as happy as we can/are going to be with our success!?!”, I get the proverbial call to come in and start a ruckus. As you can guess, this is corporate America we are talking about, so “ruckus” is more akin to bringing in a new or different mindset versus fisticuffs. Having said that, in some cases, when bringing in a new mindset, I sometimes wish that I had packed some boxing gloves based on the fiery, digging in of heels against change. I am not telling you anything new here… change is usually feared, based on our corporate Stockholm syndrome (cSs) response to our own organizational status quo. We get comfortable with the inefficiency, the incremental, the pursuit of what works versus excellence, and our own titles and paychecks. 

To that end, we create endless “plans” that typically justify or document our constipation. The humorous nature of change does not care about your plans… remember the “Once and For All” fight in 1988 between Mike Tyson and Michael Spinks? If you recall, when interviewed about how he would take down his opponent, Spinks said, “I’ve got a plan.” When Tyson was interviewed with the same question, he famously replied, “Everybody has a plan until they get hit in the mouth!” If there is one thing that I have spent a career attempting to do for my clients and colleagues, it is condition them to take the punch of change and keep standing (or sometimes, get back up), plan or no plan. To understand that to change an organization is to change the culture. To change the culture, you must innovate. Culture and innovation allow any organization to “…float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.”

At Ruckus, we do not want you to fight alone and truth be known, we enjoy picking a fight with the status quo and getting into some trouble with you! We believe that the idea is you and you are worth fighting for, so grab your gloves, get ready to show off your fancy moves, and let’s climb into the ring together and change the world!

“Putting people and their ideas as the first resort, coupled with radical empowerment and engagement, will allow any organization to fight the good fight… and win!”

-Chris Tisdel

ruckus has facilitated some amazingly innovative professionals from organizations such as: