May 14, 2024 | 8:30am – 3:30pm
IN-PERSON SESSION – UMKC Bloch Executive Hall, 5108 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri
Instructor: Mike Allison, Adjunct Professor for the Henry W. Bloch School of Management at UMKC

The only constant in the world is change. Technological advancements, unpredictable business landscapes, and shifting cultural norms are impacting work environments like never before. As such, leaders and the organizations they represent must constantly reinvent themselves or risk becoming obsolete. Doing so is not easy as changing individual behavior is difficult. Changing organizational behaviors that lead to real business results can feel impossible. Today, the vast majority of individual and organizational change efforts fail. And yet, there are leaders who truly make a difference and positively impact their personal and professional surroundings. They often understand the “science” around influencing others.

What You Will Learn
Leading Yourself and Others Through Change attendees will explore the concepts of adaptive and technical change and discover why we often default to applying technical solutions to adaptive problems. In a multi-media driven environment, leaders will learn how to better influence others by harnessing proven behavior science techniques and models. They will be challenged to think critically about their organization’s power dynamics and better comprehend what truly inspires those around us to take action. Leaders will consider their own “change challenges” as they learn how to connect personal, social, and structural factors to results.

Key concepts covered in the session include:

• Learn why most change efforts fail
• Discover best practices for engaging and leading others through change, on an ethical foundation, to achieve desired results
• Understand why people do not truly transition without an emotional connection being made
• Explore best-in-class change management models which help enable measurable results
• Go over the “Top 10” ways leaders must get out in front of change efforts if they are to be successful

About the Instructor
Mike Allison is a professor and Bloch Executive Education instructor within the Henry W. Bloch School of Management at UMKC. In that capacity, he teaches EMBA courses on international business, influence and persuasion, and advanced presentation skills. He also instructs business leaders on diverse topics such as change management, emotional intelligence, holding difficult conversations, presentation techniques, building trust, and executive presence. Prior to his current academic focus, Mike accrued nearly 20 years of healthcare IT leadership experience working at Cerner Corporation. While at Cerner, he held executive responsibilities within both the client and associate learning organizations. His award-winning learning teams, many of which were internationally based, provided practical and effective end-to-end learning solutions to Cerner clients and associates around the world. Mike also spent a year as the Vice President of Learning & Development at AMC Theatres. There, he led a team of learning professionals who focused on building, supporting, and retaining talent across multiple guest-facing brands. Mike is a graduate of Brigham Young University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a master’s degree in Public Administration.

June 20, 2024 | 1-4:30pm
VIRTUAL SESSION via Zoom
Instructor: William Kay, instructor for Bloch Executive Education and owner of W. Kay & Associates.

“Finance for Non-Financial Managers” workshop is designed to help anyone understand the entire business process from transactions to financial statements and much more.

This intensive and fun workshop was created to help people position themselves to understand the numbers, how they work, and how to analyze financial statements, and the importance of asset management.

During the workshop, the attendees will gain a strong understanding of finance and accounting. They will learn how to use financial information to understand how to evaluate business performance for their own business unit, division, and their customers.

Learning Objectives

• The basic principles of financial management;
• The key financial management functions and the uses of financial accounting;
• The fundamental accounting principles;
• The basics of financial reporting;
• The use of basic financial statements in decision making;
• The important financial concepts including General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP);
• The important accounting equation (Assets = Liabilities + Equity);
• The concepts of Cash versus Accrual Accounting;
• The Key Financial Statements of business – Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and
  Cash Flow Statement;
• How to analyze financial statements;
• The important business metrics and financial ratios; and
• How to read financial statements to determine the financial health of an organization.

About the Instructor
William Kay holds an MBA Degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance and Marketing from the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. Bill is an adjunct professor at the University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC), Bloch School of Management and teaches business classes at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas.

Bill has taught Corporate Finance for UMKC in their Executive MBA program. He also teaches for the American Management Association (AMA) delivering business courses to major corporations around the United States.

Bill developed and delivered training programs for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Inc. He is the owner of W. Kay & Associates, dedicated to helping organizations and individuals enhance their competitiveness, productivity, and technological performance.

For the past 28 years, Mr. Kay has specialized in assisting businesses in the quest to improve performance in the areas of strategic planning, finance and accounting, budgeting, project management, marketing, sales, and sales management training. Bill’s professional experience includes more than 20 years as CEO and owner of a major manufacturing company and the past 28 years helping major Fortune 500 companies and universities with organizational development and training.

July 23, 2024 | 1-4:30pm
VIRTUAL SESSION via Zoom
Instructor: Mike Allison, Adjunct Professor for the Henry W. Bloch School of Management at UMKC

Given nearly every feedback study indicates professionals are happier and perform better when receiving input from colleagues, it is imperative for leaders to cultivate a culture where feedback is expected and appreciated. A company that values transparency invites employees to share input, without fear, across all levels. Doing so normalizes feedback behaviors in formal and informal settings. Both meaningful praise AND honest criticism are vital components of healthy cultures. Organizations encouraging the delivery of both, with positive intent, see improved relationships, higher satisfaction levels, and stronger business results.

What You Will Learn
In this interactive and multimedia-driven session, leaders will learn how to:

• Recognize and cultivate a culture of healthy feedback
• Contribute to and encourage feedback behaviors
• Ask for and receive meaningful feedback without becoming defensive
• Provide specific and sincere praise
• Deliver honest criticism in a kind and clear manner

About the Instructor
Mike Allison is a professor and Bloch Executive Education instructor within the Henry W. Bloch School of Management at UMKC. In that capacity, he teaches EMBA courses on international business, influence and persuasion, and advanced presentation skills. He also instructs business leaders on diverse topics such as change management, emotional intelligence, holding difficult conversations, presentation techniques, building trust, and executive presence. Prior to his current academic focus, Mike accrued nearly 20 years of healthcare IT leadership experience working at Cerner Corporation. While at Cerner, he held executive responsibilities within both the client and associate learning organizations. His award-winning learning teams, many of which were internationally based, provided practical and effective end-to-end learning solutions to Cerner clients and associates around the world. Mike also spent a year as the Vice President of Learning & Development at AMC Theatres. There, he led a team of learning professionals who focused on building, supporting, and retaining talent across multiple guest-facing brands. Mike is a graduate of Brigham Young University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a master’s degree in Public Administration.

August 6, 2024 | 8:30am-3:30pm
IN-PERSON SESSION – UMKC Bloch Executive Hall, 5108 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri
Instructors: Liesl Hays & Melissa Odaniel, Aligned Talent Consulting

As a leader, your team’s performance reflects your leadership abilities. Successful leaders drive their teams to achieve individual and collective goals by delegating tasks based on their team’s skillsets, motivation, and potential. However, delegating and setting expectations can be challenging.

Do any of these sound familiar?
“It will take me longer to delegate this task than to do it myself.”
“I’m not sure I trust that my team is capable enough to succeed at the task.”
“Setting expectations for my team feels restrictive,”
“I’m not sure what to delegate or how to do it.”
“I’m afraid my employees might make mistakes that will reflect poorly on me or the team.”

Overcoming these barriers is essential to becoming a successful leader. During this session we will identify strategies that are helpful for delegating tasks and setting expectations for your team.

After participating in this session, you will be equipped to:

• Identify your unique barriers to delegating and tactics to overcome them.
• Implement different approaches to delegating tasks based on your team member’s skill level, motivation, and potential.
• Monitor the progress of a delegated task without micromanaging.
• Implement strategies and tips to help you delegate and set expectations effectively.
• Use techniques for providing effective feedback for delegated tasks.

About the Instructor
Liesl Hays is an author, entrepreneur, and human resources strategist. For over twenty years, Liesl has provided strategic direction to small, medium, and large businesses regarding their human capital needs. Most recently, Liesl was a Human Resources Strategist at one of the largest global Healthcare IT companies in the world. After leaving her corporate job in 2016, she opened her own Human Resources Consulting business called Aligned Talent Consulting. Liesl is a contributing writer for the wildly popular self-development website Lifehack, and you can find her behind the microphone weekly as a host of the Link 2 Lee’s Summit podcast.

In 2021, Liesl released her first book through Morgan James Publishing: Broken, Changed & Rearranged. This self-development book shares her journey of chasing the traditional paths towards success to discover she was woefully unhappy locked inside her 60-hour a week grind. Her inspiring story empowers others to step outside the traditional definitions of success to chase what provides them meaning. Liesl runs on coffee, “to do lists,” and the belief that exit interviews don’t lie-you’re just not listening. She lives in Blue Springs Missouri with her children, Mady and Ethan, and their unruly dog Bear.

Melissa O’Daniel is a skilled and highly intuitive associate development strategist. After more than 18 years leading large Human Resources and Learning teams for a Fortune 500 Healthcare IT company, she left her corporate job in 2018 to open Aligned Talent Consulting and focus on her passion for associate development.

Melissa loves to help individuals understand and maximize their unique talents in ways that best support their teams and organizations. Melissa enjoys looking beyond the surface level of a business challenge to determine its root cause then aligns both people and strategies to effectively solve issues. She specializes in corporate onboarding, role development and tackling difficult conversations.

Melissa lives in Lone Jack, Mo with her husband Joe where she enjoys organic gardening, reading (fiction please!) and spending time with her family.

September 17, 2024 | 1-4:30pm
VIRTUAL SESSION via Zoom
Instructor: Dr. Kevin Sansberry II, DBA, Founder of Kevra: The Culture Company

This engaging session is crafted to empower leaders with the tools and frameworks necessary for navigating the complex challenges of today’s dynamic business environment. Through a blend of theoretical exploration and practical application, participants will learn how to foster adaptability, resilience, and innovative thinking within their teams and organizations. The workshop emphasizes the importance of understanding and mobilizing people to tackle tough challenges, thrive in changing contexts, and realize lasting change.

The Adaptive Leadership Workshop will encompass the following key elements:

• Insight: Gain a deep understanding of the adaptive leadership framework and how it applies to real-world organizational challenges.
• Practice: Engage in hands-on exercises that simulate adaptive challenges, allowing leaders to apply concepts and strategies in a supportive setting.
• Reflection: Participants will reflect on their leadership experiences and behaviors, receiving and offering feedback to enhance learning and personal growth.

What You Will Learn

• Identify and Tackle Adaptive Challenges: Learn to distinguish between technical problems and adaptive challenges, applying appropriate strategies for each.
• Lead with Emotional Intelligence: Enhance your ability to understand and manage your emotions and those of others to foster a productive and positive organizational culture.
• Engage Stakeholders: Develop strategies for engaging and mobilizing various stakeholders, including those with differing views and resistance to change.
• Foster an Adaptive Culture: Learn how to create an environment that encourages experimentation, learning from failures, and continuous adaptation.
• Navigate through Uncertainty: Equip yourself with the skills to lead confidently through uncertainty and complexity.

About the Instructor

Dr. Kevin Sansberry II, DBA
Founder of Kevra: The Culture Company
Dr. Kevin Sansberry Il is a behavioral scientist and executive coach whose inspiring work is driven by the need for evidence-based, inclusive, and equitable approaches to urgently and proactively transform and coach leaders, eradicating toxic behaviors that threaten profitability, innovation, and the overall well-being. He is also the creator and host of the Toxic Leadership Podcast which reached as high as the number four nonprofit podcast in the United States in 2021.

October 10, 2024 | 8:30am – 3:30pm
IN-PERSON SESSION – UMKC Bloch Executive Hall, 5108 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri
Instructor: Mike Allison, Adjunct Professor for the Henry W. Bloch School of Management at UMKC

Noted researcher, author, and “culture guru” Edgar Schein famously stated that the only thing of importance leaders do is create and manage culture. Leaders who create fulfilling work environments foster positive mindsets, actions, and real results. They know that if they do not develop culture, it will develop itself. Culture does not happen by accident. In this interactive and multimedia-driven session, leaders will begin by discussing culture in their current organizations. They will explore why vision, strategy, and values by themselves are not enough to propel business and a workforce forward.

What You Will Learn
Ultimately, participants will understand how to create and sustain a desirable culture. Specific topics include:

• A look at the definition of culture along with an exploration of what fuels passion and meaning
• How leaders must exercise “cultural intelligence” in understanding current organizational culture and subcultures
• Utilizing a “Culture IQ” assessment to determine existing culture characteristics
• A deep dive into how great leaders create passionate and meaningful cultures (building trust, leading with WHY, delivering inspired and authentic communication, living values, remaining grounded, etc.)

About the Instructor
Mike Allison is a professor and Bloch Executive Education instructor within the Henry W. Bloch School of Management at UMKC. In that capacity, he teaches EMBA courses on international business, influence and persuasion, and advanced presentation skills. He also instructs business leaders on diverse topics such as change management, emotional intelligence, holding difficult conversations, presentation techniques, building trust, and executive presence. Prior to his current academic focus, Mike accrued nearly 20 years of healthcare IT leadership experience working at Cerner Corporation. While at Cerner, he held executive responsibilities within both the client and associate learning organizations. His award-winning learning teams, many of which were internationally based, provided practical and effective end-to-end learning solutions to Cerner clients and associates around the world. Mike also spent a year as the Vice President of Learning & Development at AMC Theatres. There, he led a team of learning professionals who focused on building, supporting, and retaining talent across multiple guest-facing brands. Mike is a graduate of Brigham Young University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a master’s degree in Public Administration.

Date: November 6, 2024 | 1-4:30pm
IN-PERSON SESSION – UMKC Bloch Executive Hall, 5108 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri
Instructor: Wai (“Y”) Lee, Vice President, Garmin Labs.

This half-day workshop is designed for professionals and business owners eager to maintain a competitive edge by leveraging AI as a catalyst for driving organizational growth. Participants will be equipped with practical skills to innovate and harness the transformative potential of artificial intelligence.

What you will learn:

• Strategic Innovation Framework
• Practical AI tools and applications
• How to innovate with AI
• How to pitch your ideas with AI

Special Session Note
Participants are encouraged to bring their own laptop computers so they can fully engage in the seminar activities.

About the Instructor
Wai (“Y”) Lee is Vice President, Garmin Labs. Wai is an innovation expert. Having championed Garmin’s entrance into the wellness and smart wearable market, he has led the incubation, design, and development of flagship products in marine, outdoor, automotive, and fitness. Wai is a keynote speaker and thought leader in corporate innovation and is named on over 20 issued patents.

Ann Hackett will work with you on creating an action plan based on your career assessment and goals.

Ann M. Hackett, Ph.D. is Chief Learning & Engagement Officer at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Ann has more than 20 years of corporate leadership in organizational development and talent management, including work with Accenture, H&R Block, DineEquity, the Kauffman Foundation. She founded HumanRoot to provide people strategy solutions to drive organizational success. Ann provides executive coaching to over 35 clients annually and serves as the Head of Central Exchange.