Stephen "doc" Watson

Of course, you can make just about any group of statistics dance a jig on the head of a pin, but for decades, research and analysis has confirmed that between fifty and seventy five percent of employees choose to leave an organization for one sad but simple reason: how they perceived they were treated. Before you jump to the conclusion that we've developed a culture of entitled whiners know those statistics have for the most part remained valid since before Dr. Spock suggested coddling his … [Read more...] about Conserving Resources

Regardless if you are stocking product in the warehouse or a company CEO, the skill of effective listening is fundamentally essential to your professional success and personal satisfaction.  It's ironic that one could complete years of college, graduate work, and, perhaps, advanced training in one's professional field without having been taught how to listen.  On the surface it seems obvious and simple.  However, the skill of listening effectively is not often experienced in the … [Read more...] about One Size Fits All

Southeast Texas has spawned many talented and famous people from all walks of life and in a wide variety of disciplines.  Author, poet, and philosopher, Mary Karr, is one of the latest and greatest.  Having been reared in the shadows of hissing, Mid-County refineries, her childhood years were, shall we say, less than Golden in the Triangle.  However, a colorful and (sometimes toxic) gumbo of family, friends, and circumstances molded her into a world-class writer and thinker.  … [Read more...] about Onward and Upward

Many people aspire to be “the leader” only to find it's lonely at the top.  For some it's their first experience with having to consider what others need instead of mainly focusing on one's own individual needs.  And if that doesn't present a daunting challenge, just wait until a new leader realizes the needs of both must be met to create a trusting, motivated team.  Remember, the hallmark of an effective leader is enabling other team members to solve their own problems while they … [Read more...] about The No-Lose Method

Perhaps because educator, John Callahan. was my football coach at Beaumont High School in the 1960's, I became a firm believer in mastering the fundamentals of any practiced skill.  Apart from being exceptionally wise and having a wicked sense of humor, Coach Callahan drilled his players to the point where they didn't have to think about their basic skills, thus enabling them to work on advanced, winning techniques.  Working and consulting in the fields of conflict management and … [Read more...] about On Your Mark, Get Set, WIN!

The first challenge to resolving conflicts is to effectively prevent them. And I say “effectively” prevent them because ignoring and avoiding conflict most often only serves to amplify it and eventually does more damage than having just faced it early on. It's been my experience that most people prefer to avoid and deflect conflict and confrontation, and there are many reasons for choosing to do so. Few have been trained to successfully deal with it while others may have been dominated and … [Read more...] about Soul Manager