Rockville Centre native releases his second self-help book

Posted

Rockville Centre native Christopher Connors is “a classic example of someone who was working in corporate America and realized they weren’t doing what they were passionate about,” he said.

A 1999 South Side High School graduate who went on to earn his bachelor's degree at Hobart College and master’s at University of Georgia, Connors, 39, had a career in government and business consulting for many years.

However, Connors began writing when he realized he was unhappy in his professional life. Writing led him to new discoveries about himself and maintaining mental and emotional wellbeing. He’s now teaching these life skills in his new book, “Emotional Intelligence for the Modern Leader.”

The self-help title follows his debut, “The Value of You: The Guide to Living Boldly and Joyfully Through the Power of Core Values,” which came out in 2017.

At first, he didn’t intend to write self-help — he was simply exploring his own situation and feelings about his career. “I started writing about values and putting together a game plan to find success in a career,” he explained.

Through that experience, along with others, such as coaching kids’ basketball, he became knowledgeable about emotional intelligence and its benefits, especially for professionals.

“I wanted people to realize their potential,” he said. “I started blogging and that led to wanting to write a book.”

The writer is now a full-time entrepreneur, writing, doing speaking engagements and executive coaching as his career, and he’s happy with this life he’s created. He lives in Mount Pleasant, S.C. with his wife, Tosha, and three young sons, Roman, Dominic and Ciaran.

However, Connors said he misses Rockville Centre. His parents, William and Patricia, still live in the village. Before the coronavirus pandemic, he visited every few months. “I loved growing up in Rockville Centre,” he said.

At South Side, Connors was captain of the basketball team in his senior year. He became good friends with fellow 1999 grad, and now-comedy star, Amy Schumer. He also wrote for the school’s student newspaper.

Returning to his true calling of being a writer, Connors’ new book is a 140-page, “concise practical how-to book on how to integrate emotional intelligence both personally and professionally,” Connors said.

“Emotional Intelligence for the Modern Leader” has been endorsed by three New York Times bestselling authors. The book focuses on how to be an effective leader in the business world and have a positive impact on an organization. This includes using empathy, self awareness, adaptability and social skills to create a culture of success. The book also provides exercises and assessments that readers can interact with to improve.

To learn more about Connors and his books, visit chrisdconnors.com.