Breakthrough by Design

Uniting a team takes more than talent—it takes trust, openness, and the courage to embrace what makes each teammate unique. Washington Spirit's Aubrey Kingsbury and guest host Bec Heinrich dive deep into the art of bringing a "motley crew" together for lasting breakthroughs and real results. Their honest conversation delivers fresh perspectives and practical takeaways for anyone leading—or belonging to—a dynamic team. Listen in to hear how harnessing the strengths of a diverse squad can turn unique individuals into a championship team—on the field and beyond.

Forget perfection—innovation is built in the balance between tech and tactile, failure and discovery. In this episode, Katrina Stevens shares why breakthroughs happen when we embrace chaos, experiment boldly, and let curiosity lead. Tune in for practical wisdom on building a growth mindset, leading teams through uncertainty, and helping people shape their own STEM identity—one experiment at a time.

What if the secret to innovation isn't having all the answers, but knowing which questions to ask? In this episode, Deloitte's Chief Futurist, Mike Bechtel, shares surprising stories from his eclectic career and explains why "resisting the rush to solutions" leads to real breakthroughs. Tune in for practical wisdom on navigating uncertainty, harnessing constraints, and communicating complex ideas with a human touch—all delivered with humor and insight. If you're ready to see the future differently, this episode is for you.

What does it take to lead with authenticity—especially when the stakes are high and the spotlight is bright? Tamika Tremaglio, former Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association, shares candid stories from her career in law, consulting, and sports, revealing how embracing vulnerability, learning from failure, and leading with kindness have shaped her approach to leadership. Discover how "getting real" builds trust, unlocks growth, and drives positive change. If you want to learn how top leaders stay grounded and inspire others, this episode is a must-listen.

Despite being paralyzed in an accident in the prime of his pro-cycling career, Pieter du Preez persevered to pursue his dreams at the highest level of sport – breaking records in marathons, Ironman competitions and ultimately winning gold in the Paralympic Games. In this episode, Pieter shares how his positive and resilient mindset has driven him forward and how reaching for small goals along the journey (starting with one sock at a time!) can add up to the big goals that may seem impossible.

The balance point between authenticity and professionalism can be challenging to strike, especially in the workplace. Four-time Emmy-nominated producer, Allison Kluger, joins Kim Christfort to share her experience on how to be authentic at work, own your story, and shape your personal brand on this episode of Breakthrough by Design. The duo explores examples of how and when to "get real" both personally and professionally in ways that can help springboard success.

Immerse yourself with host Kim Christfort, and guest, Betsy Sullivan, as they unravel the lasting relevance of Shakespeare's creations and their deep connection with today's human experience. Embracing the Breakthrough Manifesto principle 'Don't Play Nice', Kim and Betsy spotlight the fatal consequence of "playing nice" and how sometimes it's too little too late to have the hard conversations and calling out elephants.

Join Kim Christfort and her guest, Angel Ayala, Chief Information Technology Officer for Deloitte's Government and Public Services practice, as they explore the possible futures that Gen AI transformation and augmentation can bring to the world. Learn how a breakthrough mindset can have a positive impact on shaping technology, and our world, for the better.

The Breakthrough Manifesto principles can transform how people tackle thorny challenges – in business and at home. Find out how co-author of The Breakthrough Manifesto, Suzanne Vickberg (Dr. Suz), applied the principles to create a dramatic departure from status quo approaches to divorce, designing a solution that best suited her family. Listen in as host Kim Christfort talks with Dr. Suz about her book, Divorce by Design, and how getting curious, asking questions, and challenging assumptions can break through barriers and lead to new possibilities.

Coe Leta Stafford discusses the benefits to design thinking and how a human-centered approach in creative problem solving can lead to solving the true root of issues rather than only the symptom. Join Coe, as she explores solving business problems and reaching breakthrough.

Listen in, as Jason McKinney, Co-founder and CEO of Truffle Shuffle, shares the challenges that left him with no other choice than to Strip Away Everything, question his assumptions, and adopt a beginner's mindset.  In this podcast, we hear about how Jason and his team empower each other to be part of the solution and embrace being relentless in pursuit of maximum smiles.

Change the world, one breakthrough at a time. Stuck in a rut? Tune in as Paul Silverglate, Deloitte's Executive Accelerator leader, sits down with authors Kim Christfort and Dr. Suzanne Vickberg to talk about their latest book, The Breakthrough Manifesto, 10 Principles to Spark Transformative Innovation, and how the practical methods within can help you get to breakthrough.

In this episode, we hear from Debra Schifrin, a Stanford Graduate School of Business Lecturer who teaches a course that leverages the methods and mindset of improv to encourage creativity, collaboration, active listening, asking good questions and genuine curiosity.

We believe that everyone has the potential to get to breakthrough, but it requires a different way of thinking to make positive change. In this first episode of Breakthrough by Design, Kim Christfort, Chief Innovation Leader for Executive Accelerators at Deloitte, shares insights from over a decade of work with individuals, teams and organizations on what it takes to get to breakthrough and drive transformative innovation in big and small ways.