The Fresno County Library convened to celebrate its ninety-fifth year of service to residence of Fresno County.

During a general assembly, Dr. Watts delivered a keynote address on the importance of service and reminded library personnel of their special role as stewards of free knowledge and information.

Later in the day Dr. Watts presented a seminar on his reciprocity model “You Are The Course, Now Teach It and Get All You Want From Life.”  The comments below from attendees typified the impact of Dr. Watts’ seminar..

“Robert Watts was inspirational.”

“Dr. Watts was energetic and inspiring. I did not see his workshop, but the handouts were good.”

“The keynote speaker–Dr. Watts. Was very interesting to listen to and the  information he  provided was most helpful.”

“Dr. Watts needs to be a part of each library annual meeting. The information he provided was so very timely…Dr. Watts should attend each year.”

The last phase of the PUD’s strategic change and development project was implemented when two team members completed the Watts and Associates’ sixteen-hour Ombudsperson training program.

The Ombudspersons will be responsible for coaching individuals and groups to self-reliance in managing conflicts and mediating situations that are more intractable.

Dr.  Watts presents Living and Working By Values Ombudsperson Certificates of Completion to Ron Fujinami and Kimberley Libecki

Re-Entry in East Palo Alto

Under the leadership of Police Chief Ron Davis of the East Palo Alto Police Department, Executive Director Bob Hoover, and program founder David Lewis, Free At Last Recovery offers a model partnership between parolees and urban law enforcement.

The program provides career and life skills training, job placement, health education, and drug counseling in a co-ed residential facility.

Dr. Watts gives his thanks to a resident who participated in a self-disclosure activity during his keynote presentation on “People Are Never the Problem, People Have Problems.”

In 2007, the City of Clovis, CA appointed Mike Leonardo as its new Director of Public Utilities. Inheriting a department that struggled historically to improve relations between management and staff, Mike sought out Watts and Associates for assistance with strengthening the relationship between the two groups, whose tensions had begun to strain the morale of the department and give it a reputation as problem within the city.

Using its action research approach to inquiry, Watts and Associates used climate surveys, interviews, and observations to identify problems and strengths between the groups. An action plan was then co-created with management that leveraged the department’s strengths in reducing its perceived gaps.  The action plan included the use of Watts and Associates’ “Living by Values Program.” In addition to team building activities, strategic planning, and self-reflection, the program involved clarification and operationalization of the city’s core values, mission statement, goals and a strategy for living them out through daily work practices. The immediate benefits of the intervention were stronger:

• Connectivity through sharing a common language;
• Transparency (greater accountability between management and bargaining units), and
• Improved problem solving, and stronger self-governance by all team members.

It’s not everyday that an organization the size of Watts and Associates can say, with an absolute certainty, that for a day it stood literally at the top of the world!

In winter 2008 a member of our solution team, Raffi Arslanian, Jr. along with a team of friends successfully scaled Cerro Aconcagua, arguably the highest point in the Americas. Congratulations Raffi and thanks for taking us with you to the top of the world.

New York City - On the set of the “Tim McCarver Show”

The Watts and Associates team of Dr. Da-Sharoi Crocker and Dr. Robert Watts, landed an interview on the “Tim McCarver T.V. Show” for the great “Big Cat” Earl Lloyd the first African American to play in the National Basketball Association in 1949;

Mannie Jackson the first African American to own a major sports and entertainment company (The Harlem Globetrotters);

and “Big Daddy” David Lattin (the MVP of the 1966 NCAA Championship Basketball game and the star of the Texas Western Team), the first team of five starters to compete and win an NCAA Championship.

Consistent with its value of giving back, Watts and Associates sent its founder, Dr. Robert Watts back to the Bronx, New York, his home town, on two different occasions.

In 2008 he spoke to students at his middle school al mater PS 73. At PS 73 Dr. Watts talked about the role of ethics and values in education, personal development, and strengthening and maintaining strong neighborhoods and communities.

Dr. Watts was a big hit at the school and was invited back by the senior class to be their commencement speaker in June 2009. This fall Dr. Watts also returned to his childhood neighborhood to speak to students at PS 126 about his social reciprocity model “You Are The Course, Now Teach It and Get Want You Need From Life.”

For an hour and forty five minutes, without breaks, fifth and sixth grade students hung to every word of Dr. Watts’ stories and theories designed to build student self esteem, relationship development and goal setting skills, and community pride.

Dr. Watts has been asked to return in April 2009 to speak at a retreat for PS 126 administrators, faculty, parents and community leaders.

Through the coordinated efforts of two of Watts & Associates’ solution team members, Dr. Henry Kelly, school psychologist for the Lynn, MA school district, and Dr. Da-Sharoi Crocker, Dr. Robert Watts brought his seminar on social reciprocity “You Are The Course, Now Teach It and Get Want You Need From Life” to seventh and eight grade students at the Thurgood Marshall School in Lynn, MA in September 2008. The program was a big success and plans are in the works for seminars to be presented at more Lynn, schools in the fall 2009.

The Boston Day and Evening Academy (BDEA) in Roxbury, MA held its first quarter graduation exercises in February 2009 and asked Dr. Watts to be their commencement keynote speaker.

The program and presentation was a roaring success!  Thanks to sales associate, Charles Butler, Watts and Associates was able to bring value to BDEA that will last a life time for the graduates and all in attendance.

Dr. Watts with BDEA graduates and administrators looking on from the podium (L to R Beatriz Zapater, Co-Head of School and Karen Cowan, Co-Head of School, far right).

Responding to the current epidemic of obesity and diabetes among youth and families in the Central Valley, the Fresno County Library, with a grant from MetLife, and sponsorships from many local business and non profit organizations, including Kaiser Permanente, SaveMart, Childrens Hospital, and others, put on an educational fair that empowered citizens with information to combat these devastating diseases. Dr. Watts was invited to contribute to the program, as a keynote speaker, by Mrs. Linda Calandra of the Fresno County Public Library.