Just because leadership is a serious subject, that doesn’t mean the subject of leadership needs to be seriously boring.

Rob Redenbach’s approach brings together real stories, comic timing and human connection. Experiences that have shaped his perspective include managing a security company in Papua New Guinea and protecting aid workers in the Middle East. He has also taught defensive tactics to Nelson Mandela’s bodyguard team in South Africa, completed executive education at Harvard and tested his nerve doing stand-up comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Whether speaking at a conference, entertaining an after-dinner audience or running a workshop, Rob’s aim is to make serious ideas accessible. Humour helps people relax, stories give them something to remember, and shared experiences open conversations that might otherwise be difficult to start.

At the heart of his work is a simple principle: leadership of others begins with leadership of self. That includes being willing to question our assumptions, learn from our mistakes and recognise when the best thing we can do is listen.

And sometimes, have a laugh.

The Other Side of Fear – Ideal for sales meetings, teams facing change and leaders navigating uncertainty.

The Other Side of Fear is available as a keynote or a shorter after-dinner talk. Combining humour and insight, it explores the value of taking a chance when we can’t predict the outcome, and the freedom that comes from not taking ourselves too seriously.

Format: 45–50-minute keynote or 25–30-minute after-dinner talk.

Leadership Beyond Technical Skill – Ideal for established and emerging leaders.

Being good at your job can get you promoted. It doesn’t automatically prepare you to lead people when plans change, setbacks occur and the pressure builds.

Leadership Beyond Technical Skill is a practical workshop that helps leaders develop the personal and interpersonal skills their roles demand. Drawing on Rob Redenbach’s experience in high-risk environments, storytelling and live performance, participants learn how to strengthen resilience, handle difficult interactions and build stronger working relationships.

Format: half-day or full-day workshop. For more details click here.

Additional background

Rob Redenbach holds a master’s degree from the Australian Graduate School of Policing and has completed postgraduate studies in mediation and dispute resolution at Bond University. Some of his most useful lessons in communication, however, came from three years teaching English in Korea, Japan and China, where he learned to adapt to the people in front of him.

Since then, he has presented at more than 1,000 corporate events in 23 countries, with clients including Commonwealth Bank, Toyota, LG Electronics, the Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association and Griffith University. His media coverage is similarly varied, ranging from features in the US journal The Tactical Edge and Virgin Australia’s inflight magazine to multiple appearances on Sunrise.