About Cathy Norris

Now I help company leaders move through their emotions productively, which helps prevent mental health declines such as anxiety, depression and burnout.

From “Head” Smart to “Heart” Smart

Here’s my story: I used to let my emotions control me and I didn’t understand how to connect.

With a PhD program under my belt, I excelled in my technical field. But as a leader, when complexity and conflicting demands progressed during my corporate career (along with frustration, overwhelm, and even loneliness), I discovered I had forgotten to connect to my team members in a human -- not just a transactional -- way. Finally, a couple "aha" moments woke me up to the power of meaningful connections that I had been missing.

I had leaned heavily on my analytical and intellectual abilities in my career and didn’t have the slightest clue how to trust my inner knowing. And for many years I didn’t “get” the importance of relationships—I thought it was all about getting the job done. In one of those classic dark nights of the soul, it became clear that if I was going to achieve personal and professional success and create the meaningful connection I needed, it was time to take a hard look at my priorities and learn about a new-to-me concept -- emotional intelligence.

Fast forward after several years of training in emotional intelligence and leadership development, I now serve stressed-out and stuck high-achievers as an executive coach. I help people not only get the job done and goals met, but create the connection to other people and their inner purpose that makes it all worth while. Since 2009, I’ve helped hundreds of executives and team leaders achieve striking career and life turnarounds by learning how to:

• Break down silos of distrust and build mutually satisfying relationships with team members
• Change ingrained behaviors and habits that sabotage — and sometimes end — careers
• Manage conflict and have the hard but necessary conversations far more effectively
• Expand your view of success from pure productivity to embracing a culture of connection where morale and the bottom line flourish

I’ve witnessed clients improve their customer relationships, reduce stress, increase joy, and meet change with courage by connecting with their emotions and passions. When my clients thank me for helping them face and manage their emotions, build strong bonds in their teams, or create change in their teams’ behaviors, I feel I’ve helped them build resilience skills that will help them grow.