Episode 279: Wasanthi Stephen - Why Old-School Leadership is Failing: The Future of Talent
This is Episode #279 of The Limitless Podcast with Nick Jonsson, and we are pleased to welcome Wasanthi Stephen, Group Chief Human Resources Officer at JXG (Janashakthi Group), Sri Lanka.
In this episode, Wasanthi shares why many traditional leadership models — built on hierarchy, control, long hours, and pressure — are no longer effective, particularly as the next generation enters the workforce. What was once considered “high performance” is now often a driver of disengagement, burnout, and attrition.
The conversation explores how the future of talent requires leaders to unlearn and relearn continuously, embrace learning agility, and shift from authority-based leadership to influence-driven leadership. Wasanthi explains why coaching is no longer a nice-to-have, but a core leadership capability, and why performance today depends on trust, clarity, and purpose rather than control.
A central theme of the episode is psychological safety. As Wasanthi puts it, “If psychological safety is not there, the younger generation will just quit — even without another job.” This insight highlights why organisations must rethink how they lead, communicate, and support their people.
The episode also discusses:
Why long working hours and pressure are often mistaken for high performance
The skills emerging leaders need to thrive, including learning agility, people leadership, and digital and business acumen
How leaders can maintain high performance standards while empowering younger generations
Why trust, continuous feedback, and purpose matter more than ever
This conversation is a must-listen for leaders, executives, HR professionals, and people managers who want to build sustainable, human-centred, high-performing organisations.
Connect with Wasanthi to continue the conversation:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wasanthi-stephen-aal-cmcipm-pcc-imba-b3a721138/
🎧 Find more episodes on our website:https://www.nickjonsson.com/limitless-podcast