About this episode

Kristin Russell discusses her non-linear leadership journey and the emotional aspects of transformation in organizations.

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…

People in this episode

Host: Julie Williamson

Guest: Kristin Russell

Topics covered

• leadership
• transformation
• communication
• team alignment
• emotional intelligence

Keywords

• leadership
• transformation
• communication
• team alignment
• emotional intelligence
• strategy
• clarity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: CBTS, Sun Microsystems, Oracle, Colorado

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