What if becoming a better leader isn't about adding more to your toolkit, but knowing what to let go of?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Heather Langton, Chief People Officer at Spark, to explore what leadership, HR, and human capability need to look like in a rapidly changing world.

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience across human resources, transformation, talent, leadership development, and succession planning, Heather shares a thoughtful perspective on what she calls the "great unlearning" of leadership.

Rather than continually asking what else leaders need to add, Heather argues that leaders need to reflect on what has worked in the past, what may no longer be relevant, and how they need to reset for the future.

The conversation explores adaptive leadership, feedback, intergenerational learning, reverse mentoring, executive collaboration, AI, human intelligence, wellbeing, and the importance of relationship building.

Heather also shares why curiosity remains one of her most valuable leadership tools, why HR is fundamentally about partnership, and why leaders need to become more comfortable operating without all the answers.

From supporting mature workers and learning from younger generations to developing stronger middle leaders and embedding wellbeing into everyday work, this episode offers practical lessons for anyone navigating leadership in a complex and changing environment.

What You'll Learn

• Why Heather believes leadership is entering a period of "great unlearning"
• Why leadership development needs to be more continuous and adaptive
• How in-the-moment feedback can support stronger leadership
• Why clarity matters even when leaders don't have all the answers
• How reverse mentoring can strengthen intergenerational learning
• Why power imbalances matter in leadership and workplace culture
• How mature workers can continue contributing in different ways
• Why curiosity is one of the most valuable capabilities for enterprise leader. 
• How HR can operate as a genuine business partner
• Why strong executive teams require ongoing work and honest conversations
• How AI is increasing the importance of human intelligence
• Why middle leaders will play a critical role in the future of work
• How smaller businesses can approach leadership development and AI without huge budgets
• How Spark embedded wellbeing more directly into the organisation
• Why systems thinking is an important capability for future HR leaders

Key Takeaways

• Leadership development isn't always about adding more skills. Sometimes it requires unlearning what no longer works.
• Leaders need to reflect more frequently on their impact rather than relying on annual development plans.
• Clear leadership does not mean having every answer. It means giving people clarity about direction.
• Regular, in-the-moment feedback helps make development more natural and less threatening.
• Intergenerational workplaces create an opportunity for reciprocal learning.
• Reverse mentoring can help senior leaders challenge assumptions and better understand emerging generations.
• Great enterprise leaders remain curious and ask strong questions rather than trying to know everything.
• HR is fundamentally about partnership, not people pleasing.
• Strong executive teams need to continually work on collaboration, trust, and shared accountability. 
• AI will increase the value of human intelligence, including judgement, context, insight, and relationship building.
• Leadership development does not need to be large, expensive, or overly complicated to have an impact.
• Wellbeing is more effective when it is embedded into the organisation rather than sitting on the edge.
• Future HR leaders need strong relationship-building skills, self-awareness, and systems thinking.
• Sometimes the best approach is to "hasten slowly" by pausing long enough to consider the wider system before acting.

About Heather Langton

Heather Langton is Chief People Officer at Spark, one of New Zealand's leading telecommunications and digital services organisations.

Heather joined Spark in 2013 and was appointed People and Culture Director in 2019. She has more than 20 years of experience in human resources, with expertise spanning business transformation, talent management, leadership development, and succession planning.

Her career has included senior HR roles across FMCG, retail, hospitality, technology, and communications.

At Spark, Heather has played a key role in developing leadership capability, building high-performing teams, strengthening organisational culture, and helping the business navigate significant transformation and technological change.

She is passionate about adaptive leadership, intergenerational learning, human intelligence, and creating organisations where people can continue learning and contributing throughout their careers.

Why This Episode Matters

Leadership is becoming more complex as organisations navigate AI, changing workforce expectations, multiple generations at work, and increasing uncertainty.

This episode offers a practical and deeply human perspective on what leaders need to do differently.

Rather than trying to become experts in everything, Heather encourages leaders to remain curious, build strong relationships, seek different perspectives, and become comfortable adapting their approach as circumstances change.

For HR professionals, People & Culture leaders, executives, business owners, and managers, this conversation provides practical ideas for developing leaders, strengthening workplace relationships, embracing technology, and building organisations that are ready for the future.

Resources & Links

• Spark: https://www.spark.co.nz/
• Connect with Heather Langton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-langton-0ba45b3a/