LeaderSHIFT - Featuring Esther Perel - MELBOURNE
Crisis mode won’t scale. Future-ready leaders need to be empathetic, adaptable and intentional.
Growth Faculty presents LeaderShift 2026, our landmark annual leadership event on the next wave of leadership thinking. After years of disruption, and rapid social and technological change, a shift has emerged - from surviving instability to leading through transformation.
In a rare appearance, Esther Perel will deliver Relationships At Work, her practical framework for building trust, enabling candour, repairing ruptures, and setting boundaries. She conveys how human connection is essential to modern workplaces.
Why now?
Crisis mode won’t scale. Future-ready leaders need to be empathetic, adaptable and intentional. The emphasis is on building with authentic connection. The edge will be organisations that can respond confidently to what’s next, together.
Five world-class thinkers bring you actionable frameworks for leading high-performance teams through uncertainty:
- Esther Perel - Relationship intelligence & human connection
- Steve Martin - Influence through behavioural science
- Dr Susan David - Emotional agility under pressure
- Michael Bunting - Self-awareness that drives team performance
- Ben Crowe - From Pressure to Freedom: Shifting the Way You Lead
LeaderShift is designed as more than a conference – it is an immersive and provocative learning experience, woven together by our dynamic MC Holly Ransom who turns every exchange into a leadership masterclass.
"Remote work, virtual communication, and hybrid setups have reshaped the meaning of 'culture.' Today, people see purpose and belonging – not just a paycheck." - Esther Perel
Crisis mode won’t scale. Future-ready leaders need to be empathetic, adaptable and intentional.
Growth Faculty presents LeaderShift 2026, our landmark annual leadership event on the next wave of leadership thinking. After years of disruption, and rapid social and technological change, a shift has emerged - from surviving instability to leading through transformation.
In a rare appearance, Esther Perel will deliver Relationships At Work, her practical framework for building trust, enabling candour, repairing ruptures, and setting boundaries. She conveys how human connection is essential to modern workplaces.
Why now?
Crisis mode won’t scale. Future-ready leaders need to be empathetic, adaptable and intentional. The emphasis is on building with authentic connection. The edge will be organisations that can respond confidently to what’s next, together.
Five world-class thinkers bring you actionable frameworks for leading high-performance teams through uncertainty:
- Esther Perel - Relationship intelligence & human connection
- Steve Martin - Influence through behavioural science
- Dr Susan David - Emotional agility under pressure
- Michael Bunting - Self-awareness that drives team performance
- Ben Crowe - From Pressure to Freedom: Shifting the Way You Lead
LeaderShift is designed as more than a conference – it is an immersive and provocative learning experience, woven together by our dynamic MC Holly Ransom who turns every exchange into a leadership masterclass.
"Remote work, virtual communication, and hybrid setups have reshaped the meaning of 'culture.' Today, people see purpose and belonging – not just a paycheck." - Esther Perel
Lineup
Esther Perel
Ben Crowe
Steve Martin
Michael Bunting
Dr Susan David
Holly Ransom
Good to know
Highlights
- 8 hours 15 minutes
- In person
Refund Policy
Location
Plenary Theatre
1 Convention Centre Place
South Wharf, VIC 3006
How do you want to get there?
Agenda
Welcome - By MC Holly Ransom
Vertical Growth: The Inner Work of Transformational Leadership
In this keynote, Michael Bunting explores Vertical Growth- the practice of deep self-awareness as the foundation of transformative leadership. Unlike technical or horizontal skill-building, vertical growth equips leaders to confront limiting assumptions, regulate emotions in real time, and consciously shift behaviours in line with their highest intentions. Through practical tools and real-world case studies, Michael shows how leaders can create cultures of psychological safety, creativity, and trust by committing to lifelong growth in themselves and their teams.