Kristen Russell’s leadership journey is anything but linear. From managing engineers at Sun Microsystems to leading global operations at Oracle, serving as Colorado’s first Secretary of Technology, and now guiding CBTS as CEO, her career has been shaped by two questions: Can I learn? and Can I contribute? That curiosity has helped her lead large-scale transformations across industries and navigate the often-messy space between agreement and alignment.

Episode Takeaways

• Transformation is emotional, not just strategic. Leaders often focus on the intellectual side of strategy while overlooking the emotions people experience during change. As Kristen puts it, “strategy is intellectual, transformation is emotional.”
• Communication is never one-and-done. Alignment requires ongoing dialogue, listening, and clarification. If you're tired of repeating yourself, your team may just be starting to absorb the message.
• Focus on advocates, not just skeptics. Early in her career, Kristen spent too much energy trying to convert the loudest detractors. She learned that investing in champions creates momentum that helps bring the broader organization along.
• Clarity is a leader’s primary job. In the absence of clarity, people fill in the blanks themselves. Transparency about what is working, what is not, and what remains uncertain builds trust and keeps teams moving forward.
• Work on the team before the strategy. At CBTS, Kristen prioritized leadership team alignment, role clarity, and shared ways of working before tackling ambitious transformation efforts. Sometimes the fastest path forward starts with slowing down long enough to get aligned.

One of the most memorable ideas from this conversation is that leaders cannot simply sponsor change for others. They must change how they lead. Alignment is not a presentation, a project plan, or a motivational poster collecting dust in the break room. It is the daily work of creating clarity, building trust, having the hard conversations, and keeping your hands on the wheel as the road changes.

To connect with Kristin Russell outside of this episode, connect with her on LinkedIn here.
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Is misalignment holding your organization back?
Aligned teams deliver better results more consistently, and they have deeper connections to each other and their organizations.

Download our free Leadership Alignment Evaluation Tool and take the first step toward transforming how your team works together.

Learn more about Julie and Karrikins Group:

• Connect with Julie on LinkedIn
• Follow Karrikins Group on LinkedIn
• Check out Julie's book, 'Make HOW Matter: Key Conversations for Leaders to Build Alignment and Accelerate Growth'
• Learn more about how Karrikins Group helps enterprise teams drive better results

Sergio Rodriguez’s leadership journey is a reminder that careers rarely follow a straight line. Starting as an architect, moving into technology consulting, and eventually becoming President and CEO of The Hector and Gloria Lopez Foundation, Sergio’s path reflects the power of staying open to opportunity. Today, he leads a foundation dedicated to helping first-generation Texas students earn bachelor’s degrees through scholarships and comprehensive support that extends far beyond tuition.

Throughout the conversation, Sergio shares how helping his aunt and uncle plan their philanthropic legacy became an unexpected calling. What began as estate planning evolved into building a foundation that has already awarded tens of millions of dollars in support to first-generation students. Along the way, he learned that leadership is often less about moving fast and more about bringing others along with clarity, trust, and connection.

Episode Takeaways

• Leadership journeys rarely follow a linear path. Being open to unexpected opportunities can create impact far beyond your original career plans
• Boards move at the speed of trust. Consistent communication, transparency, and personal connection help transform agreement into meaningful alignment
• First-generation students often face barriers beyond tuition, including transportation, childcare, financial emergencies, and navigating university systems
• Small obstacles can have outsized consequences. Sometimes an $80 parking ticket or a flat tire creates a bigger barrier than a difficult exam
• Building alignment requires leaders to meet people where they are, whether that is a board member attending quarterly meetings or a student navigating college for the first time

One of the most compelling themes in this conversation is the idea that alignment grows through connection. Sergio’s approach with both board members and students reflects a simple but powerful principle: people are far more likely to commit when they understand the purpose, feel informed, and see the impact firsthand. As organizations tackle growth, change, or transformation, leaders would be wise to remember that spreadsheets rarely inspire people, but stories and relationships often do. Sometimes the shortest path to results starts with a conversation rather than another meeting about the meeting.

To learn more about the amazing work of The Hector and Gloria Lopez Foundation, click here. Or connect with Sergio on LinkedIn here.
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Is misalignment holding your organization back?
Aligned teams deliver better results more consistently, and they have deeper connections to each other and their organizations.

Download our free Leadership Alignment Evaluation Tool and take the first step toward transforming how your team works together.

Learn more about Julie and Karrikins Group:

• Connect with Julie on LinkedIn
• Follow Karrikins Group on LinkedIn
• Check out Julie's book, 'Make HOW Matter: Key Conversations for Leaders to Build Alignment and Accelerate Growth'
• Learn more about how Karrikins Group helps enterprise teams drive better results

Richard Kopelman, CEO of Aprio Advisory Group, has spent more than three decades with the firm, evolving from a generalist learning the craft to leading a rapidly scaling, global organization. Along the way, he built and grew practices, leaned into specialization, and then expanded back out into enterprise leadership. He describes becoming CEO as “starting over as a freshman,” a mindset that seems to have served him well through 50+ mergers and significant growth. His leadership journey reflects a pattern of exploration, reinvention, and a willingness to take calculated swings… even if not every one is a home run.

Episode Takeaways

• A growth mindset is a deliberate leadership choice. Aprio’s shift away from “why not” thinking toward abundance unlocked expansion, including bold moves like acquiring a law firm
• If everything is working, you are probably not taking enough risks. Richard’s “bat .500” philosophy reinforces that smart experimentation beats perfection
• Leaders must let go of technical identity to lead the business, but still dive deep when needed. It is less about abandoning expertise and more about using it strategically
• Alignment requires repetition. If you are tired of talking about the strategy, your team is just starting to hear it
• Trust is the backbone of execution. Healthy debate in the room is critical, but once a decision is made, alignment means no back-channeling and full commitment

Richard’s perspective reinforces a familiar but often ignored truth. Agreement is easy, especially in rooms full of smart people. Alignment is harder and requires trust, repetition, and the discipline to move forward together even when opinions differ. His emphasis on blameless problem solving and “locked arms” execution is a practical reminder that leaders do not need perfect consensus; they need shared commitment. The real opportunity for any leadership team is to ask where they are still debating after the meeting instead of delivering after it.

Connect with Richard Kopelman outside of this episode on LinkedIn here or through Aprio here.
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Is misalignment holding your organization back?
Aligned teams deliver better results more consistently, and they have deeper connections to each other and their organizations.

Download our free Leadership Alignment Evaluation Tool and take the first step toward transforming how your team works together.

Learn more about Julie and Karrikins Group:

• Connect with Julie on LinkedIn
• Follow Karrikins Group on LinkedIn
• Check out Julie's book, 'Make HOW Matter: Key Conversations for Leaders to Build Alignment and Accelerate Growth'
• Learn more about how Karrikins Group helps enterprise teams drive better results