Great leaders breathe life,
energy, and enthusiasm
into the work.
Speaker • Professor • Author • Podcaster
In 2023, Scott started a weekly newsletter, The Leader’s Edge, which connects practicing leaders with cutting-edge content about leadership.
In addition to writing and teaching, Scott consults, facilitates workshops, and leads retreats across industries. Recent engagements include Lubrizol, Key Bank, EY, Siegfried Group, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Sherwin Williams, Oatey, Nordson Corporation, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Toyota Motor North America, Whiting-Turner, Crestron, Progressive, NASA-Glenn, Vocon, Elbit America, Endeavor Energy Resources, TransAlta, FedEx Custom Critical, Thompson Hine LLP, Cleveland Clinic, and the Cleveland Leadership Center. Scott is the co-founder and Board Chair of the Collegiate Leadership Competition and has served on the board of the International Leadership Association, Association of Leadership Educators, and Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society. Allen was named an ILA Fellow by the International Leadership Association in 2021.
When he is not teaching and learning, Scott enjoys traveling to national parks, collecting meteorites, following the Cleveland Guardians, hearing as much live music as possible, and piling into the car for a road trip with his wife and three adventurous kids.
Dr. Scott J. Allen is a speaker, professor, author, and podcaster who empowers people and organizations to build stellar leaders.
Scott is the Robert M. Ginn Institute Professor for Leadership & Social Responsibility at John Carroll University. He teaches courses in leadership, management, executive communication, and the future of work. His creative teaching style has earned him recognition on campus, including the Wasmer Outstanding Teaching Award. Scott is as likely to design a learning activity around a Guinness World Record attempt as he is to take students to a Fortune 500 for one-on-ones with executives. He believes people learn best by practicing leadership - not just discussing it.
He is the co-author of The Little Book of Leadership Development: 50 Ways to Bring Out the Leader in Every Employee, Emotionally Intelligent Leadership: A Guide for College Students, and the textbook Discovering Leadership: Designing Your Success (2023). Scott’s most recent publication is Captovation: Online Presentations by Design. He is also the host of Phronesis: Practical Wisdom for Leaders, ranked among the world's top 3% of podcasts.
What people
say about Scott
“Working with Cleveland Clinic cardiac surgeons, Scott Allen has helped our world-class surgeons become world-class speakers.
— Marc Gillinov, MD, Chair-Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, Cleveland Clinic
“I find Scott informative, engaging, and entertaining – a rare mix and blend of three important elements to great speakers. He is someone who pushes the audience to think deeply, to challenge their assumptions, and ultimately to take action. I highly recommend Scott.
— Brian Fishel, Chief Human Resources Officer, Key Bank
“I engaged Scott to present at a large 200-person conference. He presented himself as high-energy and engaging, and he did not disappoint! We decided to place his topic at the front of the lineup. He came in with his fast-paced, fun and varied style and he had the entire room hooked in minutes - and kept the room on their toes for his entire presentation. The survey feedback from everybody was tremendous and he was the highlight of the two-day conference.”
— Michele Ungar, Director of CRM Process, Progressive
“Scott Allen is an amazing leadership trainer and facilitator. I have been fortunate to work with Scott for several years in my role as Manager of Learning Programs for the Women’s Leadership Institute of the YWCA. He has provided training sessions on subjects such as Immunity to Change and Negotiation Strategies for Women. Scott has consistently been one of the highest-rated facilitators in this program. He has a great presence and ability to connect with his audience. His presentation and facilitation skills are second to none. I recommend Scott Allen with the highest regard.”
— Heather Steranka-Petit, MA, Certified Diversity Professional, Manager of Learning Programs, YWCA Greater Cleveland
“Scott first met with me to understand ‘what makes me tick’ and helped me design the presentation with passion and meaning. During practice, he identified my strengths and areas of improvement, providing practical actions to improve the delivery of the content. I would never imagine feeling confident presenting in front of 600 people!!”
— Silvia Perez Protto, MD, Medical Director, End of Life Center, Cleveland Clinic
“Scott is an engaging presenter who is masterful in meeting his audiences where they are. Whether he’s speaking to a CEO or an undergraduate student, his approach and style allow you to leave a session with an understanding of the subject matter that makes it relevant, memorable, and actionable. For Vocon, he has been one of our most trusted and valuable partners in the development of our professional team members.”
— Vocon, Managing Director - New York
“Scott provided guidance on how to craft an impactful presentation and gave me specific feedback that allowed me to expand my comfort and skill in delivering an interactive session.”
— Kendalle Cobb, MD, Lead, Differentiated Lifetime Care at Cleveland Clinic
“Scott helped me design, edit, and polish one of my most important presentations to a large audience. His insight into planning the goal and maximizing the pattern and the outcomes of the talk lead to a presentation that resonated with the ballroom. You know it worked when many have asked if I had help with the talk and for their contact info! Of course, I have used his services again for another large presentation and again . . . so helpful.”
— Mary R. Rensel, MD, FAAN, Director of Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Wellness at the Mellen Center of the Cleveland Clinic