What You Will Learn

Attendees will explore and understand the direct link between high emotional intelligence (EQ) and leadership success. Numerous recent studies show that society’s most effective leaders cultivate strong emotional intelligence skills. In fact, one such comprehensive study carried out across a variety of organizations determined that 90 percent top performers have high EQ. Leaders who incorporate EQ techniques into their lives experience great personal and professional gain. In addition to being grounded, they more easily seize new opportunities, manage difficult situations, make sound decisions based on fact, and set an energizing tone both inside and outside the workplace.

During an interactive and multi-media driven session, participants will discover:

• Qualities consistently possessed by great leaders
• Distinctions between intelligence quotient (IQ), technical quotient (TQ), and emotional intelligence (EQ)
• The four key elements which make up emotional intelligence
• Why influence and true leadership cannot occur without high EQ

Attendees will learn that in order to truly lead others and maximize results through EQ, one must:

• Master self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationships
• Exhibit genuine empathy. Make others feel it is about them and you have their best interests at heart
• Thoughtfully harness individual emotions and the emotions of others

About the Instructor

Mike Allison is the Vice President of Talent at Spotlight (Analyst Relations) where he oversees talent acquisition, leadership development, and employee growth/engagement. Spotlight was named Kansas City’s best place to work (medium-sized company) by the Kansas City Business Journal in 2023. Ingram’s magazine also bestowed similar recognition. Mike is also an Adjunct Professor and Bloch Executive Education instructor within the Bloch School at the University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC).

Prior to his role at Spotlight, Mike enjoyed over 22 years of healthcare IT leadership experience working at Cerner. His final role there involved leading a group of faculty who developed and delivered advanced education to cohorts of Veterans Administration (VA) clinicians, informaticists, and analytics professionals. He also worked with internal and external leaders on change management and other organizational development initiatives. Previously, Mike held executive responsibilities over Cerner’s client and associate learning organizations. His award-winning 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 and Development at AMC Theatres where he led a team of learning professionals focused on building, supporting, and retaining talent across multiple guest-facing brands.

Mike regularly carries out public speaking engagements and provides coaching to business leaders across the Kansas City metropolitan area. He presents and instructs on diverse topics such as leading through change, emotional intelligence, holding difficult conversations, building a culture of feedback, advanced presentation techniques, cultivating trust, and executive presence.

Prior to working in the private sector, Mike was involved in city management for three years. He worked primarily as a management analyst for the city of Kansas City, Mo. He earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a master’s degree in public administration (MPA) from Brigham Young University.

Mike is married to Amy Allison, a non-profit leader serving as the Executive Director for The Farmer’s House. They have three young adult children (girl, boy, girl). Besides being an avid family man, Mike is passionate about volunteering, seeing the world, hiking, music, disc golf, and all things San Francisco. He was born and raised in the “City by the Bay.”