HR Unlocked with Lisa Oakley

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/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can HR professionals stay relevant as AI changes the way work gets done?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Alex Howieson, a senior People & Culture leader with experience across aviation, banking, media, healthcare, consulting, governance, and complex workforce environments.

Alex shares a clear view: HR should not simply be part of the AI conversation. It should be helping lead it.

The conversation explores how AI can reduce administrative burden, improve feedback, support emotional regulation, strengthen analytics, and give HR professionals more time to focus on strategic advisory work. Alex also highlights the risks, including privacy, access to sensitive information, bias, poor governance, and the importance of working closely with technology and legal teams.

Beyond AI, Alex challenges the profession to become more commercially fluent. That means understanding labour costs, cash flow, wage inflation, retention costs, productivity, and the wider business environment rather than relying on traditional HR language alone.

She also explores why HR needs to become more outcome-focused and less process-driven, why customer experience can teach People & Culture teams a lot, and why leaders need to create workplaces built on trust, clarity, humility, and psychological safety.

The conversation closes with a powerful reflection on lived experience, family pressures, leadership vulnerability, and the importance of simple human check-ins.

What You'll Learn

• Why HR should help lead the AI conversation

• How AI can move HR beyond tactical administration

• Why strong advisory capability will become even more important

• How AI can support feedback and development

• The potential role of AI in emotional regulation

• Why clear rules of engagement matter when using AI at work

• The privacy and ethical risks HR professionals need to understand

• Why People & Culture should work closely with technology and legal teams

• How internal access and knowledge management affect AI risk

• Why HR needs to become more commercially fluent

• Which business metrics HR professionals should understand

• How to connect people initiatives to financial outcomes

• Why productivity should be discussed in terms of outcomes, not activity

• The difference between process-focused HR and outcome-focused HR

• Why fit-for-purpose solutions matter more than copying a standard playbook

• How sales and marketing can help HR improve employee experience

• Why purpose matters during periods of significant change

• The role of psychological safety, vulnerability, and humility in leadership

• Why simple check-ins can have a meaningful impact on people

• How consistency and repeatability build trust

Key Takeaways

• HR should be helping shape how AI is used, not simply reacting to it.
• Technology is most valuable when it removes low-value work and creates more space for strategic advisory conversations.
• HR professionals do not need to become coders, but they do need to understand what business problem the technology is solving.
• AI can support feedback by creating a more private and objective environment for reflection.
• Clear governance, privacy, access controls, and education are essential before workplace information is used in AI tools.
• Never assume an approved AI tool is automatically safe for every type of information.
• HR needs to work closely with technology teams to understand where data is stored and who can access it.
• The profession needs to become more comfortable with numbers, including labour cost, cash flow, wage inflation, recruitment cost, and productivity.
• Business leaders care about outcomes more than HR processes.
• Leadership and development initiatives are easier to influence when their value can be connected to commercial outcomes.
• Customer experience and marketing can teach HR how to create more engaging employee experiences.
• The employee value proposition is not about perks. It is about why the work and organisation matter.
• Strong leadership creates clarity around what productivity and success actually look like.
• HR adds value through judgement, not by rigidly applying the same process everywhere.
• Psychological safety does not remove performance expectations. It creates an environment where people can speak honestly about what is happening.
• Trust is built through consistent behaviour over time.

About Alex Howieson

Alex Howieson is a senior People & Culture leader and independent contractor with extensive experience in organisational transformation, culture, complex workforce risk, and leadership.

Her career has spanned aviation, banking, media, healthcare, consulting, governance, large operational workforces, and high-profile sport and integrity environments.

Alex is passionate about the future of HR, commercial capability, AI, organisational efficiency, leadership, and helping People & Culture professionals create genuine value for the organisations they support.

She brings a practical, direct, and business-focused approach to the profession, with a strong emphasis on judgement, accountability, and human connection.

Why This Episode Matters

AI is changing HR quickly, but technology alone will not make the profession more valuable.

This episode challenges People & Culture professionals to think much more broadly about what future relevance looks like.

Alex argues that HR needs to understand the business, speak the language of numbers, simplify rather than complicate, and use technology to remove work that does not require human judgement.

At the same time, the distinctly human parts of leadership become even more important: trust, feedback, humility, connection, psychological safety, and the ability to understand what people need.

Whether you're an HR professional, People & Culture leader, business owner, executive, or manager, this episode offers practical ideas for building a more commercial, technologically capable, and human-centred approach to work.

Resources & Links

• Connect with Alex Howieson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-howieson/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What separates change that leaves people exhausted from change that actually energises an organisation?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Roz Urbahn, Chief Corporate Services Officer at Pāmu, for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, transformation, mindset, resilience, and the changing role of HR.

Roz's career has spanned complex transformation and senior leadership roles across organisations including Fletcher Building, Lion, Vodafone, Foxtel, Frucor Beverages, Hudson, and now Pāmu. Her current portfolio extends well beyond traditional People & Culture, encompassing health and safety and well-being, communications, government relations, and sustainability.

One of the central themes of the conversation is mindset. Roz explains that organisations can execute a technically perfect change process and still leave people feeling "battered, bruised, and burnt". What matters is everything surrounding the formal process: the conversations beforehand, the availability of leaders throughout, genuine consultation, and the willingness to listen when employees challenge the proposed approach.

Roz also introduces positive intelligence, describing how understanding our internal "saboteurs" can help us recognise the gap between an event and our response. She shares her own tendencies towards restlessness and being a Hyper-Achiever, and how greater awareness helps turn an inner critic into something closer to a coach.

The conversation then turns to the future of HR. Roz believes the old conversation about HR earning "a seat at the table" is finished. In her words, HR is now "holding the table up". She argues that today's strongest HR professionals combine power skills with commercial judgement, adaptation, optimism, and an ability to help organisations make better decisions.

From resilience and boundaries to getting out into the business, simplifying HR processes, learning from difficult career decisions, and building your own trusted "board" or village, this episode is full of practical lessons grounded in lived experience.

What You'll Learn

• Why technically correct change processes can still leave people disengaged

• What genuine consultation looks like in practice

• Why leaders need to remain available throughout change, not just at the beginning and end

• How curiosity can turn employee feedback into better transformation outcomes

• What positive intelligence is and how it differs from IQ and EQ

• How internal "saboteurs" can influence leadership behaviour

• Why self-awareness only matters if you actually do something with it

• How to turn your inner critic into a more constructive coach

• Why HR's role is now deeply commercial as well as people-focused

• Why the traditional "seat at the table" conversation is outdated

• How boundaries, prioritisation, feedback, and debriefing support resilience

• Why HR professionals need strong networks inside and outside their organisations

• How moving beyond traditional HR can broaden your leadership perspective

• Why physically understanding frontline work improves decision-making

• How HR can reduce complexity by simplifying policies and processes

• Why automation should remove unnecessary steps rather than add more

• What Roz learned from taking a promotion without asking enough questions

• Why title and salary aren't always the best measures of a good career move

• How building your own "board" or village can help during difficult periods

• Why asking for help is a leadership strength, not a failure

Key Takeaways

• A perfect change process doesn't guarantee a positive employee experience.
• The conversations before, during, and after formal change processes can determine whether transformation succeeds.
• True consultation requires leaders to be genuinely willing to change their minds.
• Employee engagement can actually rise during change when people believe in the goal, have a voice, and feel involved.
• Positive intelligence helps leaders recognise the internal reactions that influence how they respond to situations.
• Self-awareness is only useful when it leads to different behaviour.
• The traits that make someone successful can also become derailers if they aren't managed consciously.
• HR's role is no longer just about "soft skills". Commercial judgement and decision-making are fundamental.
• People & Culture professionals need boundaries because much of their work is emotionally demanding and difficult to switch off from.
• Strong relationships and external networks are important resilience tools.
• HR should spend more time immersed in the actual work of the organisation. Roz describes this as being second only to safety in importance.
• If HR wants to improve productivity, a good starting point is fewer policies, simpler processes, fewer steps, and greater automation.
• A promotion isn't automatically the right next career move. Ask questions about the actual work, environment, and expectations before being swayed by title or salary.
• You don't have to have every answer. Knowing when to seek other perspectives is increasingly important in an uncertain world.

About Roz Urbahn

Roz Urbahn is Chief Corporate Services Officer at Pāmu, New Zealand's state-owned farming business.

She leads a broad portfolio including People & Culture, health and safety and well-being, communications, government relations, and sustainability.

Roz has significant executive leadership experience across Australia and New Zealand, with senior roles across organisations including Fletcher Building, Lion, Vodafone, Foxtel, Frucor Beverages, Hudson, and Pāmu.

Her career has been shaped by complex transformation, organisational performance, culture, commercial decision-making, and a willingness to say yes to opportunities outside the traditional boundaries of HR.

She is particularly passionate about helping people do great work, feel valued, embrace change with optimism, and creating environments where people can contribute at their best.

Why This Episode Matters

Change isn't slowing down.

Technology, workforce expectations, commercial pressure, safety, productivity, and increasingly complex roles mean organisations need people who can adapt without losing sight of the humans experiencing that change.

This episode offers a practical reminder that successful transformation requires more than process. It requires leaders who listen, remain curious, communicate honestly, and recognise their own impact.

For HR professionals, Roz also provides a compelling view of where the profession is heading: more commercial, more adaptive, broader in scope, and increasingly responsible for helping organisations simplify complexity rather than creating more of it.

Whether you're an HR professional, executive, business owner, people leader, or someone navigating your own career decisions, this conversation offers practical lessons on mindset, change, resilience, and asking better questions.

Resources & Links

Pāmu: https://pamunewzealand.com/.  

Connect with Roz Urbahn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roz-urbahn-03b1315/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What changes when we stop asking people to fit into the workplace and start asking how the workplace can help different people succeed?In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Sandy Hall, founder of Recognition, to explore neurodiversity, ADHD, leadership and the experiences that shaped Sandy's work.

Sandy shares how her own ADHD diagnosis, alongside her son's diagnosis 23 years ago, ultimately led her to research, experiment and develop a practical way of understanding the ADHD brain. She explains why the idea that people can simply leave their personal selves at the door when they come to work does not reflect reality, particularly for people who spend significant energy masking.

At the centre of the conversation is Sandy's Star Map, built around what she calls the "tips and the dips". She explores hyperfocus and scatteredness, precognition and impulsivity, creativity, adaptability and masking, and what she calls second sight. At the centre sit values and purpose, which Sandy describes as the source of a person's energy.

Lisa and Sandy also explore the role leaders play in recognising strengths, the power of genuine encouragement, Sandy's approach to building positivity and her preference for anti-fragility over resilience. The conversation finishes with a look at the next generation of leaders and why Sandy believes leadership is not something we ever fully master, but a lifelong practice.

What You'll Learn

• How Sandy's own experience with ADHD shaped her work and her book

• Why masking can be so limiting and exhausting

• Sandy's Star Map and the "tips and dips" of ADHD

• How hyperfocus can become a workplace strength

• Why pattern recognition can also show up as impulsivity

• The relationship between creativity, adaptability and neurodiversity

• Why understanding your own strengths and challenges can help you navigate work

• How leaders can become more intentional about encouragement

• Why Sandy prefers the idea of anti-fragility to resilience

• The importance of acknowledging vulnerability and asking for support

• Why younger generations give Sandy hope for the future of work

• How leadership is shifting away from command and control

• Why self-awareness, curiosity and continual learning matter for leaders

• The impact a specific, genuine word of encouragement can have on someone's career

Key Takeaways

• Neurodiversity is not simply about accommodating challenges. It is also about recognising and enabling strengths.

• The same ADHD trait can have both a "tip" and a "dip", depending on the person, task and environment.

• Understanding how you work allows you to adapt intentionally rather than constantly trying to fit someone else's mould.

• Great leaders recognise what people are good at and tell them.

• Vulnerability and strength are not opposites. Growth can begin with acknowledging where support is needed.

• Leadership is increasingly about creating the conditions for people to contribute their best thinking.

• Curiosity, authenticity and self-awareness are becoming increasingly important leadership capabilities.

• Sometimes one person recognising your strengths can change the direction of your career.

About Sandy Hall

Sandy Hall is the founder of Recognition, a boutique consultancy supporting fast-growth businesses with leadership, People & Culture, talent strategy and neuro-inclusive workplace practices. She brings experience across HR, talent, engagement and leadership development and holds a Master's in Education focused on career counselling.

Sandy is also an ADHD coach and neurodiversity advocate, co-founder of the Hall and Hutch Podcast, and an author whose work draws on both research and her lived experience with ADHD.

Why This Episode Matters

As workplaces become more aware of neurodiversity, the challenge is moving beyond awareness towards understanding what different people actually need to perform at their best.

Sandy's Star Map offers a different lens. Rather than viewing ADHD characteristics only through their challenges, it encourages people to understand both their "tips" and "dips", recognise when each appears and build environments and support systems that allow them to succeed.

For HR professionals and leaders, the conversation is also a reminder that leadership is deeply human. People remember the leaders who saw something in them, encouraged them and gave them the confidence to recognise their own strengths.

Resources & Links

Recognition: https://www.recognition.co.nz/

Hall and Hutch: https://www.youtube.com/@hallandhutch

Sandy Hall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-hall-recognition/

Sandy's book 'Hyperfocused': https://lnkd.in/eJY_v2-b

HR Unlocked: https://linktr.ee/hrunlocked

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can leaders embrace AI and rapid change without losing the human connection that drives great workplaces?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Margo Thomas, Chief People Officer at Sime Motors, to explore leadership, trust, organisational culture, and the evolving role of HR in today's workplace.

Drawing on more than two decades of experience across education, banking, technology, manufacturing, distribution, and automotive, Margo shares practical insights into leading with authenticity, building high-trust teams, and helping organisations balance commercial performance with genuine care for people.

From leadership vulnerability and relationship building to AI, commercial acumen, career development, and the future of HR, this conversation explores why people professionals need to spend less time behind their desks and more time understanding the people and businesses they support.

The discussion also explores the importance of intuition in leadership, coaching future HR professionals, navigating difficult conversations with empathy, and why curiosity, courage, and connection remain some of the most valuable capabilities for the future of work.

What You'll Learn

• Why human connection remains HR's greatest strength

• How AI should enhance, not replace, leadership

• The importance of building high-trust relationships

• Why HR professionals need to spend time in the business, not just behind a screen

• How commercial understanding strengthens People & Culture leadership

• The value of vulnerability and authenticity in leadership

• Why curiosity and saying "yes" create career opportunities

• How to coach leaders through difficult conversations with empathy

• The importance of balancing policy with sound judgement

• Practical advice for building a successful HR career

Key Takeaways

• Great leadership starts with trust, authenticity, and genuine relationships.

• Technology should strengthen human connection, not replace it.

• HR creates the greatest value when it understands the commercial realities of the business.

• Strong leaders balance empathy with sound judgement.

• Curiosity and continuous learning accelerate career growth.

• High-performing HR professionals spend time where the work happens.

• Leadership becomes stronger when people feel trusted, supported, and challenged.

• Organisations succeed when people and business outcomes are considered together.

About Margo Thomas

Margo Thomas is Chief People Officer at Sime Motors, where she leads the organisation's People & Culture strategy across leadership, organisational capability, employee experience, and workforce development.

With more than 20 years of HR leadership experience spanning education, banking, telecommunications, technology, manufacturing, distribution, and automotive, Margo is passionate about building high-performing teams, developing leaders, and creating workplaces where people feel connected, trusted, and empowered to succeed.

Why This Episode Matters

As organisations embrace AI, flexible work, and increasing workplace complexity, leaders face the challenge of maintaining meaningful human connection while delivering commercial outcomes.

This episode provides practical insights into how People & Culture leaders can build trust, strengthen leadership capability, and create workplaces where technology supports, rather than replaces, authentic relationships. Whether you're an HR professional, executive, business owner, or people leader, Margo offers practical advice for leading with empathy, commercial awareness, and purpose.

Resources & Links

• Sime Motors: https://www.simemotors.co.nz/
• Connect with Margo Thomas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margo-thomas-567ba04/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What separates genuinely innovative organisations from those that simply talk about innovation?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Nicola Taylor, co-founder of Tax Traders and Taxi, to explore organisational culture, innovation, leadership, and the mindset required to build businesses that continually evolve.

Drawing on her experience building successful fintech companies, Nicola shares practical insights into creating cultures where experimentation, curiosity, belonging, and psychological safety drive better decisions and stronger business outcomes.

From productive failure and behavioural values to leadership, recruitment, AI, feedback, and continuous improvement, this conversation challenges many of the common assumptions about innovation. Nicola explains why innovation is built through disciplined experimentation rather than random ideas, why leaders should ask better questions instead of having all the answers, and how organisations can intentionally design cultures where people feel empowered to contribute their best thinking.

The discussion also explores how belonging starts long before an employee's first day, why feedback should be celebrated rather than feared, and how removing ego from decision-making allows organisations to learn faster and perform better.

What You'll Learn

• Why innovation requires discipline as much as creativity

• The difference between productive and unproductive failure

• How psychological safety differs from comfort

• Why belonging begins before an employee's first day

• How behavioural values create stronger organisational cultures

• The role curiosity plays in leadership and innovation

• Why leaders should ask better questions instead of providing all the answers

• How experimentation drives continuous improvement

• The importance of feedback, reflection, and lifelong learning

• How AI and technology can support, rather than replace, human capability

Key Takeaways

• Innovation is built through disciplined experimentation, not random ideas.

• Psychological safety allows people to contribute without fear, even when conversations are uncomfortable.

• Great cultures are intentionally designed through everyday behaviours.

• Strong leaders create environments where others can succeed.

• Curiosity and feedback accelerate learning and better decision-making.

• Behavioural values are more powerful than aspirational statements.

• Belonging strengthens engagement, confidence, and performance.

• Technology will continue to evolve, but human judgement, empathy, and creativity remain essential.

About Nicola Taylor

Nicola Taylor is the co-founder of Tax Traders and Taxi, two award-winning New Zealand fintech businesses transforming the way organisations manage tax and business funding.

Passionate about innovation, entrepreneurship, and building exceptional workplace cultures, Nicola is recognised for challenging conventional thinking around leadership, organisational design, and business growth. She is a strong advocate for creating environments where curiosity, experimentation, and continuous learning enable both people and organisations to thrive.

Why This Episode Matters

As organisations navigate rapid technological change, AI, and evolving workforce expectations, creating innovative cultures has become a critical leadership capability.

This episode provides practical insights into how leaders can intentionally design workplaces where people feel safe to experiment, challenge ideas, learn from failure, and contribute their best thinking. Whether you're an HR professional, business owner, executive leader, or entrepreneur, Nicola offers practical ideas for building cultures that are innovative, resilient, and ready for the future.

Resources & Links

• Tax Traders: https://www.taxtraders.co.nz
• Taxi: https://www.gotaxi.co.nz/
• Connect with Nicola Taylor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-raffills-taylor/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do organisations successfully align people, strategy, and communication to create meaningful change?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Samantha Ford, Chief People Officer, and Heather Phillips, Chief Strategy Officer at Awanui to explore the unique partnership between People & Culture and Strategy, and why organisational success depends on both functions working together.

Leading across one of New Zealand's largest healthcare providers, Samantha and Heather share practical insights into executive leadership, organisational strategy, digital transformation, workforce capability, communication, and leading through complexity in a highly regulated environment.

From building executive alignment and developing future leaders to AI, change management, collective bargaining, pay equity, and creating purpose-driven cultures, this conversation explores what it takes to lead organisations where strategy is translated into meaningful action through people.

The discussion also explores why communication is far more than simply sharing information, how leaders can create buy-in for organisational change, and why purpose, curiosity, and strong relationships remain essential leadership capabilities in an increasingly digital world.

What You'll Learn

• Why strategy and People & Culture should work hand in hand

• How organisations can successfully lead large-scale change

• Why communication is about understanding, not simply delivering messages

• The importance of bringing people with you through transformation

• How executive teams create alignment around long-term strategy

• Why purpose drives engagement and organisational performance

• The leadership capabilities organisations need for the future of work

• How AI and digital fluency are changing workforce capability

• Lessons from pay equity, collective bargaining, and stakeholder communication

• Why curiosity, adaptability, and relationship-building remain critical leadership skills

Key Takeaways

• Great strategy only succeeds when people understand and believe in it.

• Leadership requires clear communication, patience, and long-term thinking.

• Organisational change is most successful when leaders meet people where they are.

• Digital capability is important, but human connection remains a competitive advantage.

• Executive leadership is strongest when complementary perspectives work together.

• Purpose helps people stay engaged through periods of uncertainty and change.

• Commercial realities and people outcomes must be balanced through honest conversations.

• Strategy, culture, leadership, and communication are inseparable drivers of organisational success.

About Samantha Ford

Samantha Ford is Chief People Officer at Awanui, where she leads the organisation's national People & Culture strategy across leadership, organisational capability, workforce planning, employee relations, remuneration, and HR systems.

With experience across multiple industries, Samantha is passionate about developing leaders, modernising HR, leading organisational change, and building workplaces where people and strategy work together to achieve meaningful outcomes.

About Heather Phillips

Heather Phillips is Chief Strategy Officer at Awanui, leading enterprise strategy, corporate affairs, brand, communications, stakeholder engagement, and organisational transformation.

With a background spanning communications, digital strategy, corporate affairs, and executive leadership, Heather specialises in helping organisations create clarity, align people behind strategy, and build long-term organisational capability.

Why This Episode Matters

As organisations navigate AI, workforce transformation, increasing complexity, and rising expectations of leaders, strategy can no longer exist separately from people.

This episode provides practical insights into how executive teams can align strategy, communication, leadership, and organisational culture to create sustainable change. Whether you're an HR professional, executive leader, business owner, or people manager, Samantha and Heather offer valuable lessons on leading organisations through complexity while keeping people connected to purpose and performance.

Resources & Links

Awanui: https://awanuigroup.co.nz/

Connect with Samantha Ford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthalouiseford/

Connect with Heather Phillips on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherphillipsnz/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do organisations evolve without losing what already makes them successful?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Monica Ayers, Chief People Officer at New Zealand Post, to explore leadership, organisational transformation, workforce capability, and the realities of leading people strategy inside one of New Zealand’s most recognised organisations.

With experience spanning insurance, local government, and large-scale operational environments, Monica shares practical insight into redesigning operating models, navigating strategic change, and preparing organisations for the future of work.

From balancing legacy systems with innovation to building workforce capability in rapidly changing environments, this conversation explores the intersection of strategy, culture, leadership, and long-term organisational performance.

The discussion also dives into inclusion, workforce planning, AI, generational shifts, leadership influence, and the challenge of helping organisations stay future-ready while managing immediate operational pressures.

What You’ll Learn

• How large organisations approach operating model transformation

• Why organisational capability should drive workforce planning

• The relationship between strategy, culture, and performance

• How HR leaders can influence long-term thinking during economic pressure

• What future workforce capability looks like in practice

• The role AI may play in workforce design and capability planning

• Why inclusion and diversity remain commercially important

• How to balance operational delivery with long-term organisational sustainability

• What HR professionals need to understand about leadership influence

• How “work imagined versus work done” shapes organisational performance

Key Takeaways

• Organisational transformation requires alignment between strategy, structure, culture, and capability

• Future workforce planning starts with understanding organisational capability needs

• Strong HR leadership balances immediate pressures with long-term thinking

• Inclusion and diversity are critical to future workforce sustainability

• Leadership influence relies on understanding business priorities and communication styles

• High-performing organisations listen closely to frontline realities

• Data, insights, and storytelling are increasingly important HR capabilities

• The future of work requires adaptability, strategic thinking, and continuous learning

About Monica Ayers

Monica Ayers is Chief People Officer at New Zealand Post, where she leads the organisation’s people functions across employment relations, remuneration, organisational development, talent, and safety and wellbeing.

She joined NZ Post in 2020 and has played a key role in supporting organisational transformation and future workforce capability planning during a period of significant change and investment.

Monica has held senior HR leadership roles across insurance, local government, and large-scale operational environments, and is recognised for her pragmatic, future-focused approach to people strategy and leadership.

Why This Episode Matters

If you’re a leader, HR professional, or business owner navigating transformation, workforce change, or future capability planning, this episode offers practical insight into what large-scale organisational leadership actually looks like in practice.

It’s a grounded conversation about balancing operational realities with future readiness, while keeping people, culture, and organisational performance aligned through change.

Resources & Links

• New Zealand Post

• Monica Ayers | LinkedIn

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What can international HR experience teach us about leadership in an increasingly connected world?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Wendy Baker, Chief People Officer at Brosnan, to explore global HR, commercial leadership, organisational culture, and the leadership capabilities needed to thrive in today's rapidly changing workplace.

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience across New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore, Wendy shares practical insights into leading across cultures, developing commercial acumen, building trust, and helping organisations navigate complexity.

From international career opportunities and cultural intelligence to leadership, psychological safety, AI, governance, and high-performing teams, this conversation explores how curiosity, adaptability, and continuous learning enable HR professionals to become trusted business partners.

Wendy also shares lessons from competitive yacht racing and the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, drawing fascinating parallels between teamwork, communication, resilience, safety, and leadership in the workplace.

What You'll Learn

• How international experience shapes stronger HR and leadership capability

• Why curiosity is one of the most important leadership skills

• The value of cultural intelligence in diverse workplaces

• How HR professionals can strengthen their commercial and financial acumen

• Why understanding the business is essential for becoming a trusted advisor

• Practical advice for building an international HR career

• Lessons on teamwork, trust, and communication from competitive yacht racing

• How leaders can create psychologically safe, high-performing teams

• Why lifelong learning and adaptability are critical for future leaders

• How AI can enhance HR by creating more time for meaningful conversations

Key Takeaways

• Great HR starts with understanding the business, not just the people.

• Curiosity, listening, and adaptability are essential leadership capabilities.

• Cultural intelligence helps leaders build stronger relationships across diverse teams.

• Commercial understanding allows HR to become a genuine strategic partner.

• High-performing teams are built on trust, communication, and psychological safety.

• Leadership development is a lifelong journey of learning and reflection.

• Technology should enable better conversations, not replace human judgement.

• Supporting new employees well creates stronger teams and better long-term outcomes.

About Wendy Baker

Wendy Baker is Chief People Officer at Brosnan, bringing more than 20 years of Human Resources leadership experience across New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore.

Her career includes senior HR leadership roles with organisations including American Express, JLL, CBRE, and Carter Holt Harvey, with expertise spanning organisational transformation, strategic HR, governance, commercial partnering, and leadership development.

A Chartered Member of HRNZ and Fellow of the UK's Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Wendy is passionate about building high-performing teams, developing future leaders, and helping organisations create workplaces where people and performance thrive together.

Why This Episode Matters

As organisations become increasingly global, diverse, and technology-enabled, HR leaders are expected to contribute far beyond traditional people practices.

This episode provides practical insights into building commercial capability, leading across cultures, creating psychologically safe teams, and developing the curiosity and adaptability needed to thrive in the future of work. Whether you're an HR professional, business leader, or people manager, Wendy's international experience offers valuable lessons that apply across every organisation.

Resources

• Connect with Wendy Baker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendybaker1/
• Brosnan: https://brosnan.co.nz/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What separates truly high-performing organisations from everyone else?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Estelle Curd, Chief People Officer at Kami, to explore leadership, organisational culture, startup growth, and the role people leaders play in building exceptional workplaces.

Drawing on experience across Rocket Lab, Armstrong's and Kami, Estelle shares practical lessons from founder-led organisations where belief, purpose and high standards drive extraordinary outcomes.

From middle leadership and organisational culture to Women in STEM, flexible work, employee experience, and authentic leadership, this conversation explores what it really takes to build workplaces where people perform at their best while staying connected to meaningful work.

What You'll Learn

• Why founder-led organisations often create exceptional cultures

• The critical role middle managers play in organisational performance

• Why leaders should seek respect before popularity

• How purpose and a clear "why" drive engagement and performance

• The importance of clarity, transparency and difficult conversations

• How HR can create meaningful employee experiences instead of simply managing compliance

• Why flexibility still requires clear expectations and accountability

• Practical ways organisations can attract more women into STEM careers

• How authentic leadership builds trust during uncertainty

• Why New Zealand produces world-class talent and how organisations can help it thrive

Key Takeaways

• High-performing cultures begin with leaders who model high standards

• Respect creates accountability more effectively than authority alone

• Great HR is visible, people-focused and deeply connected to the business

• Difficult conversations become easier when expectations are clear from the beginning

• Strong employee experiences are built through connection, purpose and trust

• Career pathways become more accessible when organisations actively create opportunities

• Authentic leadership means being honest, vulnerable and consistent

• New Zealand organisations have the talent and capability to compete on the global stage when leaders believe in their people

About Estelle Curd

Estelle Curd is Chief People Officer at Kami, where she leads the global people strategy for one of New Zealand's fastest-growing education technology companies.

Her career spans Rocket Lab, Armstrong's and global technology businesses, with expertise in scaling organisations, leadership development, organisational culture, employee experience and people strategy across New Zealand, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Estelle is passionate about helping organisations build high-performing cultures through great leadership, meaningful work and exceptional employee experiences.

Why This Episode Matters

As organisations navigate rapid growth, changing workforce expectations and increasingly flexible ways of working, leadership has never mattered more.

This episode provides practical insights for HR professionals, business owners and leaders looking to build stronger cultures, develop better managers and create workplaces where people genuinely want to perform, contribute and stay.

Resources

• Kami: https://www.kamiapp.com
• Connect with Estelle Curd on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/estelle-curd-21717699/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.