Biography
Dr. Jeff Allen is an internationally recognized scholar of wisdom that assists organizations in making evidence-based decisions that foster individual wisdom and cultivated collective wisdom. His research, writing and teaching spans three broad areas: knowledge management, human resource development, and workforce development. He currently serves as a Regents Professor of Information Science at the University of North Texas where he has led faculty and directed programs for the last three decades
He served as the Founding Director of the Center for Knowledge Solutions to work with government, industry, and schools to enhance knowledge transfer.
He was the Founding-Editor of Learning and Performance Quarterly, Editor-in-Chief of Performance Improvement Quarterly , Editor of Career and Technical Education Research. He currently serves on numerous journal editorial boards and in international organizations in the area of knowledge management.
His latest book, in the Rutledge Focus on Business and Management Series, is titled Fostering Wisdom at Work (on Amazon).
Outside of his scholarship, Dr. Allen is a proud husband, father, son, and age-group athlete.
Adventures in Adversity
Since the 1990s, I have dedicated myself to the continuous improvement of mind, body and spirit. As a doctoral student at Penn State, I began a journey of body improvement to parallel that of my scholarship. This was likely the most important step of my personal discovery. I’ve studied with fantastic teachers and learned to become adaptable, resilient, and curious. This journey has led to black belts in multiple arts and, along with my career, led my exploration into different cultures.
As a mid-lifer, I chased a childhood dream and learned to box. I didn’t realize that would become a six-year odyssey with national-championship fights and two regional golden glove titles in the USA Boxing’s masters division.
In addition, I became a USA Boxing Coach under the tutelage of Joe Jimenez. The trials and tribulations of a boxing match capture life in a moment. The fears, decisions, regrets and the celebrations that happen within the boxing ring can parallel many of life’s adversities and experiences.
I transitioned to triathlon and ultra-distance running with KMF Endurance Club. I wanted to become a well-rounded athlete. I learned a much deeper understanding of self as I moved through the distance of triathlon from sprints to becoming a 3-time Ironman. Ultra-running brought a new set of challenges as I raced through trails and mountains to find new level of achievement – culminated in a 100mile ultra distance event finish.
In 2022, I moved back to martial arts to continue another avenue of self-discovery. It’s hard beginning again, but the journey is the goal. It starts again with a white belt, hoping that it will eventually shade to black. More than any of my other endeavors, jujitsu requires a dynamic partnership of two people pushing each other to their very limit, while protecting them as family. Another lesson learned in the gym, as valuable as those that came before it.
…and finally, my mantra:
You can’t cheat the grind…It knows how hard you’ve worked, the effort that you’ve put in, and the time you’ve dedicated toward it…It much you have invested. It won’t give you anything that you have not worked for.
Jeff Allen 