Take a listen to The Work Podcast as I discuss Joyous Leadership with Robert Ferriell. Click HERE:
The Work Podcast
Joyous Leadership – Year in Review
Enjoy a highlight reel of a few events that happened this year. We’re only getting started – more fun to come in 2023!
Blackburn College: Speaking on Joyous Leadership
In the past few weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to speak on Joyous Leadership at Blackburn College. The first occasion was the Cross County team and staff with my friend and coach, Al Sturgeon. They were celebrating the end of the season with a party and a walk down memory lane. It was my job to entertain but yet motivate the team for even greater things as they go through life.
The second occasion, a couple of weeks later, was to speak at a Leadership Conference hosted by Blackburn and SLIAC (St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference). This was a great conference that had speakers and interactive sessions to learn about leadership and leadership styles.
I always love my time with the students and faculty at Blackburn. It is a college, in my opinion, that is a jewel of the mid-west. Their model is everything is student led. Their motto is Learn, Work, Earn. You can graduate with little to no debt. What I like most about Blackburn is they are growing and producing leaders!
Illinois Women In Leadership – Sept. 22, 2022
On September 22, 2022 I was honored to share Joyous Leadership with the Illinois Women in Leadership. They had a record attendance of 380 plus members attend for their annual conference. The part I love the most is the Q&A session after I speak. I have learned and continue to learn from these strong women in Illinois. Thanks for allowing me to join in!
Language of Leadership Podcast
I recently did an interview with Coach Mike on a YouTube podcast to a group of students and young leaders in China/Asia about Joyous Leadership. Listen in for a fun interview.
Joyous Leadership Interview
Listen to an interview that I did with my publisher on Joyous Leadership. I think it will answer a lot of your questions about book writing and why I chose to write a book.
JohnMarkWatson_Interview2022.mp4 from W. Brand Publishng on Vimeo.
A Little Coffee – A Little Joy
Listen in as I talk about coffee and Joyous Leadership. Click on the link to Listen>
Amy Attack!
I had a little unplanned downtime at the end of July. I spent five days visiting my friends at St. John’s Hospital after the amyloidosis decided to attack my stomach and then my heart. I had already received a cardioversion a week prior and thought I had everything under control until early one morning I woke up with extreme abdominal pain and vomiting.
After several hours in the ER, I was admitted to my room for overnight observation. All seemed okay until the next morning when I started round two with the vomiting. As the day before, the pain and vomiting subsided by nightfall and all was well. The next morning, I was anxious to be released and was cleaning up when my heart went out of rhythm as it did the week before. Just so you know, you get a lot of unwanted attention when that happens. After a few meds, the heart seemed to slip back in rhythm, and all was good once again.
I was prepping for discharge when my heart doctor decided to keep me and put me on a new medication that required hospitalization. Long story short, the new meds seem to be working and I’m out doing what I do best – trying to work. Hopefully the stamina will return soon.
I Might Have Overbooked!
An author friend told me to be careful and choose my bookings wisely. When he said that I sort of chuckled and thought, “I’m a new author. No one has heard of me. That won’t be a problem.” I have a deep-rooted history of learning things the hard way (read my book if you don’t believe it). Due to my inability to say “no”, I am pretty well booked for the remainder of 2022. I’m not saying there won’t be exceptions but they would need to be something with little to no travel, otherwise let’s look to 2023.
I must remember; I have a real job. Being an author and speaker are fun but for now I need to pay the bills! Check out my calendar here >
Book Sales
Many of you have asked since my book release “how are the book sales going?” Most of the time I probably gave you a blank stare or just stumbled with an answer. The reason is, since it was my first book, I truly didn’t know. Here’s what I do know:
Reporting of sales are delayed by at least two calendar quarters. This is mainly to allow time for all the places that sell and the various media formats that sell have time to post their sales and returns. Yes, I do get returns, dang it!
Due to the two-quarter wait period, July was the first month I received a royalty check. All I can say so far is at least in the first quarter I’ve covered the publishing cost. Yea! That means the sales for the rest of year will hopefully cover all the other costs of production. In case you haven’t heard, unless you’re John Grisham, you probably won’t get rich publishing books.
I’ve still got a lot of book sales and promotions left so I’m optimistic about where this can go. I want to thank all of you who were my early supporters. This has been quite a ride and is looking like maybe there will be a second book in my future.