In this Business Blast Podcast episode, host Tyler Wagner interviews Dr. Robert Watts, an organizational psychologist, author, and speaker. Dr. Watts shares a personal narrative of growing up illiterate in the South Bronx, overcoming trauma, and finding authenticity through education and self‑reflection. He emphasizes that a person’s starting point does not determine their destiny and that in organizations, "people are never the problem, people have problems," urging leaders to focus on competency and motivation rather than blame. Authenticity is presented as essential for organizational health, with daily mindfulness and presence recommended. Dr. Watts links authenticity to happiness, arguing that self‑awareness and the ability to understand others are prerequisites for fulfillment. He cites Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man as a key reading, drawing lessons about diversity and agency, and shares his favorite quote, "Cowardice dies a thousand times, but courage just once," as a leadership mantra. The episode concludes with information on how listeners can find his work online via wattsassociates.com and his YouTube channel.
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Welcome to the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. This episode is brought to you by Authors Unite. Authors Unite provides you with all the resources you need to become a successful author. You can learn more about Authors Unite and join the free community at authorsunite.com. Now let's jump into the episode.
Alright everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner. Today I have Dr. Robert Watts with us. He is an organizational psychologist, author, and speaker. So welcome to the show.
Thank you, thank you for having me, Tyler. Of course.
Thanks, thanks for joining us. We'll dive into the first question. The first question I have for you is is what's the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
I think the most important thing that I can share with your listeners is that it's not where you start in life, it's where you finish. And so we can't always choose our beginnings in life, but once we're gifted with being in the world, we have an opportunity to use every resource available to us to move towards our destiny.
And what's the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?
Uh, that people are never the problem, that people have problems. And in my industry, I'm an organizational psychologist, and so in organizations, a lot of times a lot of energy is lost because people blame people for not reaching certain levels of competency or efficiency instead of recognizing that oftentimes that's a matter of competency and motivation. And so once we can figure that out, we can then release human energy by focusing on a partnership with people and working towards their goals in support of the organization's goals in a healthy, in a logical, reasonable way.
And what's your best piece of overall business advice, so not necessarily industry-specific?
Uh, that in any business, authenticity is critical to organizational health and efficiency. So I would suggest that every organization— when I say organizations, I mean leaders and those who depend on those people for their leadership— To strive every day to be in the now, to be mindful, and to be authentic.
And if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?
To enjoy the moment that I was in. To appreciate the very moment that I'm in. I was in at the time that the times that I was alive as a young person, because a lot of it is a blur. For reasons that we don't have time to cover in this podcast, but I'd be glad to come back to drill down into that. But my beginnings began in the South Bronx in New York as an illiterate child until the age of 15. So I had a lot of distractions that kept me away from being present sometimes because I was dissociated from the traumas that I was experiencing growing up in a drug-infested an alcoholic environment, both in and outside my home. And so compounded with the illiteracy, then I became very introverted and, you know, oftentimes just looking for distractions to get away from the pain and the traumas that I was experiencing and that kind of social pathology. But after I went off to a boarding school in Vermont in the 9th grade, I had an opportunity to slow down a bit and start the long, long journey towards authenticity and getting connected with myself. Mm.
Yes, thank you for sharing that. Um, and I guess it could tie in a little bit, but in your opinion, what is the key to happiness?
Again, I think it's a reiteration of authenticity. I don't think you can be happy unless you understand who you are. And that you are okay in that skin and that you then are capable in that moment of being able to share mental states with other people. First, you understand your own mental state, then you can understand the mental state of others, and then you can reach some type of harmony with that person or accept that it's not achievable.
And what's the best book that you've read and what was the number one thing you learned from that?
The best book that I read was by the great Ralph Ellison. It was called The Invisible Man, written back in the '50s. And what I took away from that book was that, you know, he was an African American author talking about an African American experience at the turn of the century. And just that diversity is a slow-growing organism, you know, in our society. But nevertheless, one has to figure out how to fit in. And to make certain, take certain actions to create the type of reality that they can for themselves, given the social systems that may exist at the time.
And what's your favorite quote and why?
That cowardice dies a thousand times, but courage just once. And that's my favorite quote because there's so many times as, as human beings, especially in leadership in any capacity, you know, you get confronted with threats, you get confronted with uncertainties that cause you a lot of anxiety. It may interrupt with you using your best capabilities or accessing your best capabilities. And so by reminding myself of that, I calm myself down and I get engaged with what's true and what's important to me, and then I'm able to make good clear decisions for myself in that moment by recognizing that if I fail here, you know, it's just one time I have to experience it. But if I fall away from or back away from the situation and put it off, then it's going to reoccur again and again in my life. And so I'm going to suffer over time. So it's best to just go ahead and confront what it is. And surprisingly enough, you learn that you often are capable of overcoming. And when you do fall short, you're capable of learning so that the next time it comes, you're prepared to be triumphant. Yes.
Thank you so much for coming on, man. The last question I have for you before we let you go is, where's the best place for people to find you online?
That's the best question you've asked so far. Okay, so you can go to www.wattsassociates.com. That's spelled out A-S-S-O-C-I-A-T-E-S dot org. That's our website. Or you can also go to Dr. Robert Wise Jr. on YouTube to see my presentations, my workshops, my interviews.
Awesome, man. Thank you again for coming on. We really appreciate it.
Thank you, Tyler, and good luck to you and all of those who are listening.
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