Who We Are

Let’s get real for a second. Client logos and testimonials can make for an impressive looking website, but we know from experience, that in this business, it is the people-connection that matters.

Do our clients trust us to be at the front of the room when the stakes are highest? Do they trust us enough to be willing to open up about their biggest work challenges? Do they seek our counsel knowing we always have their best interests at heart?

To answer these questions, you’ll probably have to meet us! Until then, this page distils the essence of what People of Influence is all about.

OUR PEOPLE

Meet Michelle Rushton, Shaun Kenny and the People of Influence team

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MICHELLE RUSHTON – CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR

Michelle spends most of her time with executive teams and senior leaders, helping them to elevate their leadership impact. She works across a diverse array of industries from the likes of PepsiCo, Wesfarmers and CBA to government and educational institutions. Michelle (GAICD) also works with boards on organisational strategy and team development.

With over 20 years of experience with tens of thousands of leaders, Michelle is a nationally recognised and award-winning educational leader, and has used this expertise to co-design all of People of Influence’s programs and leadership diagnostics.

Michelle is known for the energy and practicality that she brings to all client engagements, whether it be presenting the opening keynote to 1,300 leaders, facilitating an executive team offsite or designing and delivering a 9 month senior leadership program.

Outside of work, she is a wife, a mother, a runner (sometimes), a singer (sometimes) and Beyonce fan (always).

Fun fact: Michelle got her start performing for audiences while singing for the Australian Opera and being directed by luminaries like Baz Luhrmann!

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE ON LINKEDIN

SHAUN KENNY – CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR

With an insatiable appetite for new ideas and driven to create fresh tools and programs, Shaun loves ‘the craft’ of creating experiences that light people up with laughter and learning. Just don’t bother asking him if he is keeping up with admin…look, there’s a squirrel!

An economist by training, Shaun translates the latest insights of behavioural economics and neuroeconomics into practical tools that leaders can use for immediate impact. Shaun has also used his deep expertise in design thinking to help blue-chip clients embed cultures of empathy-driven innovation.

Previously in management consulting, he holds a Bachelor of Economics degree and a Masters of International Business, both from Sydney University. He also graduated from acting school after three and a half amazing years, which is something he rarely mentions to clients though it informs every interaction he has with an audience.

Outside of work, Shaun is husband to his high school sweetheart, a father of two and is a keen (yet vertically challenged) basketball player.

P.S. Shaun’s aforementioned high school sweetheart is Michelle. Just in case you’re wondering: “He seems to spend a lot of time with Michelle, how does his wife feel about this?”

P.P.S. As a side note, when Shaun first met Michelle she was starring in a school musical South Pacific playing the lead character Dame Nellie Forbush (her attempt at the Southern accent was…a valiant effort). As she doesn’t check this website she doesn’t know I’ve given you this little factoid. You’re welcome!

CONNECT WITH SHAUN ON LINKEDIN

MARISSE VAN DEN BERG – BUSINESS AND RELATIONSHIPS MANAGER

Finding solutions to keep people happy is Marisse’s motto. She is the lynchpin between clients and the facilitators of People of Influence. Marisse is passionate about making sure the client experience with the team is seamless and an energetic, joyful process from beginning to end. She also manages the business administration of the company and logistics of events and will move heaven and earth to make sure everything runs like clockwork.

Be warned though – she has a funny accent…say no more.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Look, Marisse wrote all of the above, and it’s true. But it really undersells what she means to us. Her pro-active problem solving, passion for continuous improvement and relentless positivity makes us so much better. Marisse was a client of People of Influence for a number of years, so we saw her brilliance up close. It was a no brainer to try to recruit her to the team. Alright, back to Marisse…

With a bachelor’s in business management Marisse brings a set of skills perfect for her role. She has over 30 years’ experience in business administration and dealing with stakeholders, internally and externally.

Outside of work Marisse is a mother to a couple of two-legged, adult kids and ‘mother’ to a couple of four-legged, furry kids. She enjoys cooking on weekends for the family and going for early morning walks.

Nanik Lubbers – Personal Assistant

Nanik is the glue of People of Influence, working behind the scenes to hold everything together! She has been with the company over 5 years and her wealth of experience is a great asset to the business. Nanik is responsible for office management, stock control, packing and re-packing our simulations and collateral, purchasing and all things logistics. Jumping in to run all the unexpected errands and pre-empting what might be needed, she is someone we truly can’t live without!

Nanik is the mother of two kids who are just-about-adults, the wife of a tall Dutchman and a lover of bushwalks, gardening and craft.

PETER WINKLER – VIDEO CONTENT PRODUCER

How does one describe Peter Winkler…? He has a cornucopia of experience in the creative field that spans over the past 18 years, from working in the film industry in Los Angeles to being the Creative Director of educational video content for “SciShow” on YouTube.

Originally from the USA, he over uses the word “awesome” and gives unwarranted high fives, which makes it no surprise that he was also a teacher of stand-up comedy at Chicago’s “Second City” where he made people laugh to fill that empty void in the middle of his self-deprecating chest, but Peter knew nothing could fill that void quite like an engaging video (hint hint, like and subscribe). So having left the land of the “free” he moved to Australia in 2013 to pursue his dream, his dream to find the perfect video content, make it shiny AF and help release it to the masses.

Outside of his love for editing, design and animating, Peter established a media and education company upon emigrating, helping those also in pursuit of their dreams to move to Australia to pass their English language exams for permanent residency. With this balance of educational delivery and creative vision, Peter has a unique talent for making educational material entertaining, engaging and sometimes, funny even.

When he isn’t “working” Peter enjoys travelling with his partner and volunteering for climate change conservation projects internationally. Didn’t see that last one coming, did ya? Peter M. Winkler everybody, (the “M” stands for mystery oooOOOoooOOoo, just kidding, it stands for Max… not as exciting but).

Side note, Peter wrote this bio, I mean I wrote this bio… I mean… who am I??

Claire Turner

Claire’s role as a leadership coach is to work with participants of our leadership programs, helping them embed the learning and then turn that learning into lasting behavioural change. Claire is an expert at keeping people accountable to the plans and decisions they make.

Claire has delivered hundreds of coaching sessions for People of Influence clients in recent years. The impact she makes is profound and the client feedback she receives is exemplary.

With over 20 years of experience in people development, training and coaching, she is passionate about giving people the skills and tools they need to improve their lives. Her mission is to eliminate that “Sunday night feeling”, by enabling more people to design a space in the world that utilises their unique gifts and create a life that they are excited about.

Claire’s favourite topics include authentic leadership, communication, empathy, emotional intelligence, time management and self-care, which allows Claire to work at a deep level, enabling clients to release limiting beliefs that may be holding them back from fulfilling their true potential.

As a self-confessed process nerd, she loves a spreadsheet and finds inventive ways to measure clients’ progress, increased confidence and return on investment.

Outside of work, she is a wife, a mother, ocean lover and a fierce dragon boating competitor.

OUR VISION

For the world of work

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The Grim Reality
We live in a world where adults spend half their waking hours at work and yet most are not engaged. They look around to see leaders that aren’t particularly inspiring and teams that aren’t particularly inspired. When this reality predominates it is impossible that people are doing their best work. They aren’t getting the best out of themselves and they definitely aren’t getting the best out of others. Everyone’s results suffer.
A Possible Future
We imagine a world where the vast majority of people jump out of bed in the morning fired up about the work day ahead of them. We imagine an environment at work where leaders and teams feel genuinely excited to be there and go home feeling successful, fulfilled and energised to return the next day.
Bridging the Gap
We are a group of people who believe this imagined world is worth fighting for.
While we primarily work with organisations, we are dedicated to the individual human being. We imagine a reality where people – all people – have the confidence, competence and conscience to be People of Influence, so they can have the agency and positive impact on the world they were born to have. We want to change the world by giving others the tools to change theirs.

Our Values

Who we aspire to be. For our clients, colleagues and community.

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ENERGY

We bring energy into every interaction. We have a laugh. We have fun. We engage in passionate discussion. We get excited. We get others excited. We channel our energy into getting things done. We are relentless in our pursuit of excellence.  An unshakeable optimism. A steely drive.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman

GIVING

We love people. We connect. We care. We make people feel special. We are fully present. We are abundant with our smiles. We show our appreciation. We give more than we take. We are grounded in generosity.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou

CONFIDENCE

We have the confidence to think bigger, without limits. To pursue an ambitious vision with conviction. We are hungry to do more, create more, contribute more. We want to make our highest level of contribution and have the courage to step up and out of our comfort zone for the sake of others. We believe in the value we offer as individuals and as a team.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead

LEARNING

We are addicted to the buzz of learning new things. We listen. We read. We study. We are insatiably curious. We seek out new ideas, insights, tools, techniques. We are dedicated to improving our craft, our services, our business. We know there is always a better way.

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. ” Alvin Toffler

HUMILITY

We embrace humility. We ask for feedback. We ask for advice. We look for ways to improve ourselves as human beings. We are secure enough in ourselves to be vulnerable. We show gratitude for the privilege that is doing this work. We raise others up. We celebrate their success. We are inspired by others.

“Being humble means recognising that we are not on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others.” Gordon B. Hinckley
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