Russ Watson, EdD

Internationally known

RESEARCHER AND ASSESMENT EXPERT

Internationally known keynoter, interactive training sessions, user groups, and kickoff meetings.

Professor Watson has presented speeches and workshops that have received standing ovations from audiences of over 3,000. As an award-winning full-time college professor and researcher, he brings three decades of experience in consulting and higher education. Keynotes and presentations in: Australia, Azerbaijan, Canada, Germany, Holland, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, and throughout North and Central America, Pacific Islands, and Caribbean.

He was also a semi-finalist for the NASA ‘Teacher-in- Space’ (Challenger) Mission, selected as one of the top 150 from over 10,000 applicants. Awarded Faculty-of-the-Year, and four-time commencement speaker selected by the graduating classes. He offers a variety of pro-active topics on behavioral sciences, workplace values, team-building, and behavioral styles. He is consistently ranked as one of the top presenters at conferences and trade conventions internationally.

An Internationally known Motivators authority

Dr. Watson understands what motivates an individual, a team, and an organization, and he can help propel a group to increased success. His program is presented internationally and engages an audience in understanding why we do what we do by amplifying primary workplace values.
These are presented in an up-beat, humorous way, and also in a manner that provokes sincere critical thinking about alignment of personal and organizational values.

Behavioral Science Author / Talent Optimizer

Author of long-form Motivators and DISC-based reports since 1983. His industry-specific seminars show professionals in sales, customer service, and technical support how to better understand themselves and their customers for increased effectiveness. Watson’s research on Motivators and Behavioral Style spans over three decades, and has gained acclaim around the world.

The long-form reports are used in pre-hire screening. The unique Mindset Metrics short-form survey is used for all existing employees and is compatible with all DISC and Motivators models from other providers. Specific uses: On-boarding of new employees, re-boarding of all employees, team building, talent optimization, amplifying team culture, and increasing engagement. Mindset Metrics provides a three-lens focus on Heart (why we do what we do), Head (how we do what we do), and Hand (the perceived culture in which we do our best work). Works like a mindset GPS, guiding our pathway to success. Brainergy provides M-W-F motivational messages to help leverage or strengths.

Researcher, Author

National publications and trade journals. Watson’s research has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and on national radio and television programs.
He has written journal articles, and psychology, sales, and team-building workbooks for nationally known publishers. Member of: American Psychological Association, National Speakers Association, Society of American Magicians, and International Association of Facilitators, among others.

TV Anchorman,
Radio host

For eight years Dr. Russ Watson was seen weekly in Chicago as News Anchorman for the NBC-TV (WMAQ) ‘Everyman’ program. He was also producer and host of the NBC-FM (WKQX) ‘Open Circuit’ radio program, both sponsored by the Church Federation of Greater Chicago.

Internationally known researcher and
assessment expert

Dr. Watson’s research into values and motivators began in the mid-1970s and culminated with his doctoral dissertation in 1982 where he re-standardized a nationally standardized assessment on values in emerging adults. That research made news, and was featured in:

His work in assessments on motivators and behavioral style has not stopped since that time.

‘Firsts’ in the assessment industry by Dr. Watson

Dr. Watson is a pioneer in the academic and personal development assessment industry.

He has contributed many firsts to the international assessment arena. 

These are some of the first-time contributions that Dr. Watson made to the DISC and Motivators assessment industry:
  • Communication Tips (Dos and Don’ts) for DISC reports (1983); currently almost all DISC reports have these tips in their reports.
  • Keys to Managing and Motivating are different concepts. We manage others by what they need to grow as professionals, and we motivate others by what they want back from their work environment (1983). Currently, most DISC reports provide this information.
  • First to present a complete statistical study of correlations and reliability statistics within and between DISC and Motivators at a national conference in 1986.
  • First to use focus-groups to face-validate and edit all text files written for the report output, for his Motivators assessment.
  • First to author a computerized Values / Motivators assessment after research from 1984-87. Published as the ‘Business Values Inventory’ in 1988 with an internationally known assessment company.
  • First to co-author an Ideal Work Environment assessment in 1987, published with a large assessment company.
  • First to work on research in reducing the number of questions in an assessment and still retain high reliability and validity. The current work with Mindset Data and Brainergy combines DISC behavioral style, Motivators, and Ideal Work Environment into a brief survey of less than two minutes. The efforts on this project combine many of the firsts that Dr. Watson contributed above.
  • First to author Teaching and Learning styles as they relate to both DISC behaviors and also Motivators, between 1984 and 1987.

Award-winning college professor and
professional speaker

For nearly twenty-five years, Dr. Watson was a full-time professor of psychology at College of DuPage in the Chicago area.

Keynotes and presentations in Australia, Azerbaijan, Colombia, Germany, Holland Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, and throughout North and Central America, Pacific Islands, and Caribbean.

He was a semi-finalist for the NASA ‘Teacher-in-Space’ (Challenger) Mission, selected as one of the top 150 from over 10,000 applicants.