Overcoming Imposter Syndrome with Kat Cox - Lieutenant Commander (LCDR), Naval Special Warfare Assessment & Women in Special Operations Forces

The path through doubt and uncertainty is conquered only through one courageous step at a time. Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Kathleen Cox's impressive military career has been built by leaning into her fear and taking the courageous steps necessary to serve her team and her country. Everyone experiences fear, uncertainty, and doubt - but it's those that are willing to act different than how they feel and push through - those are the gamechangers. Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Cox is a gamechanger, and this episode explores how she learned to push through.

In this conversation with ReliaQuest Mental Performance coaches Dr. Nicole Detling and Derin McMains, Kat talks about:

• Growing grit and resilience through repetitive microfailures
• Value of humility
• Leaning into fear

After completing an internship at a Life Sciences venture capital firm, Kat's adventurous spirit led her to join the Navy, where she piloted and commanded the MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission helicopter as a Naval Aviator with Helicopter Strike Maritime Squadron HSM-73 based out of Coronado, California. 

Seeking diversity in her service, she embraced an opportunity to support combat operations for the SEAL Teams at Naval Special Warfare, serving at the Training Detachment for the East Coast SEAL Teams under Naval Special Warfare Group TWO as the Air Liaison Officer. She went on to serve in operations at Group TWO as the Air Exercise Planner, coordinating air support for the final pre-deployment certification exercise for all East Coast SEAL Teams. 

In 2021, Kat was selected as a Troop Commander for the Navy Reserve Unmanned Aircraft Systems unit at the SEAL Team Eighteen, and she made the pivotal decision to leave Active Duty and assume this leadership role. Now serving in her 15th year of service, Kathleen was selected as the Officer in Charge of the Naval Special Warfare Assessment Command Detachment East where she leads outreach efforts for Special Operations across America and also acts as the lead for Women in Special Operations Forces (WiSOF). 

Kat’s greatest source of impact and purpose is being a loving wife to her Navy SEAL husband, and as a nurturing mother to their four wonderful children. Beyond her professional and family responsibilities, she cherishes her treasured hobbies, which include playing the violin, indulging in landscape design and gardening, and experimenting with her culinary prowess.

ReliaQuest is a global leader in cybersecurity. ReliaQuest helps enterprise cybersecurity teams increase visibility, reduce complexity and manage risk through its security operations platform, GreyMatter.  Powered by decades of experience and streamlined by AI and automation, ReliaQuest exists to Make Security Possible. Learn more about ReliaQuest at: https://www.reliaquest.com

Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Kathleen Cox LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-cox/

Dr. Nicole Detling LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-detling-phd-cmpc-32b1809/

Derin McMains LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derin-mcmains-m-s-m-a-cmpc-09158662