Cori Harding

Founder, Compass Performance Group

I help leaders solve performance problems, get to the root cause of what is getting in the way, and turn insight into tangible solutions.

I’m known for asking the right questions, seeing patterns quickly, and helping leaders create change people can understand, believe in, and execute.

I bring 32 years of senior leadership experience across sales, product, strategy, transformation, and distribution, and today I bring that experience to organizations through Compass.

Why I started Compass

Leaders often know something needs to change. What they may not have is the time, perspective, or capacity to get underneath the problem and move it forward.

That’s where I come in.

I bring dedicated focus and outside perspective to clarify the problem, build a practical path forward, and create momentum around change.

When the challenge falls outside my expertise, I can also draw on a strong network of trusted consultants and fractional executives. The goal is simple: get the right expertise around the problem.

What I bring

I have led business turnarounds, built and scaled national growth programs, and taken on transformation mandates where performance needed to materially improve.

My experience includes:

Business turnarounds and performance transformation
Sales, distribution, and go-to-market strategy
Strategy-to-execution alignment
Executive leadership, talent, and organizational design
Systems, culture, and workforce transformation

I have led teams of more than 300 people and sat in the rooms where major decisions are made. I have also seen how those decisions land on the front line, often in ways leaders never intended. That space between strategy and execution is where much of my work lives.

How I work

I’m direct, practical, curious, and focused on outcomes. I’m comfortable asking difficult questions, challenging assumptions, and bringing lightness when a room needs it.

I’m also an optimist. Most of my work begins because something isn’t working, and I believe most business problems are solvable when we are willing to understand what is really causing them.

I’m known as a culture builder and an advocate for psychological safety and inclusion, not as alternatives to performance, but as contributors to it. Strong performance requires clear expectations, capable leadership, effective systems, and an environment where people can contribute, challenge, adapt, and grow. As AI reshapes work, those human leadership capabilities matter even more. Technology will change the tools and the work itself. It will not replace the need for trust, judgment, adaptability, and strong leadership.

My natural home is financial services, but the challenges I work on cross industries: leadership, execution, talent, systems, culture, and change. I believe sustainable performance comes from getting both sides of the equation right: the business and the people responsible for delivering it.

Beyond the work

I live in Ontario and have three grown children. Family, writing, reading, and gardening are important parts of my life.

I also volunteer as a co-facilitator with a mental health organization, work that continues to deepen my understanding of relationships, communication, and what helps people navigate difficult moments together.

I’m currently writing Human Centric Leadership, a deeper exploration of many of the ideas behind Compass.

And then there are the plants. This year, I started more than 500 from seed, complete with a revival station I call the ICU.

Let's talk

A conversation is often the best place to start.

I offer a complimentary 30-minute conversation to talk through the business challenge you’re facing, explore what may be getting in the way, and share some initial perspective on where to go next. If it’s something I can help with, we can talk about what that might look like. If it isn’t, there’s a good chance I can connect you with someone who can.