In this episode of the Just Great People podcast, Barry Eustance speaks with Professor Julie Hodges, a leading authority on organisational change and author of People-Centric Organizational Change.
Julie challenges the traditional, process-heavy approach to transformation.
Instead, she offers a people-first model based on decades of academic research and practical leadership experience.
Her insights highlight why stakeholder engagement, meaningful communication, and strong leadership capability are essential to sustainable change.
This conversation is a must for HR professionals, managers, leaders and consultants working on strategic change.
Julie explores how to avoid common failures, the impact of poor communication on well-being, and how volunteerism and AI can support—not undermine—engagement.
Her perspective aligns with The Sixsess Consultancy’s PEOPLE Change Leadership and Management Framework, which puts human behaviour, capability and well-being at the heart of modern transformation.
Explore the framework:
https://sixsess.org/training/people-change-management-leadership-framework-course/
What you’ll learn in this episode:
– why people-centric change creates stronger, longer-term outcomes
– how early stakeholder engagement drives clarity and buy-in
– what managers must do differently to lead transformation
– the emotional cost of poorly managed change – and how to avoid it
– how co-creation and volunteerism support ownership and success
– where AI fits into the future of people-first leadership
– why effective change leadership is a core business capability
– and how to ensure change becomes a culture – not a one-off initiative.
Quotes to remember:
– “Change should be about adding value.”
– “Change is a constant, not an event.”
– “Change is expensive. Change can fail.”
Learn more
Professor Julie Hodges on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hodges-9787836/
Book – People-Centric Organizational Change:
https://www.koganpage.com/product/people-centric-organizational-change-9781398612556
Sixsess Training & Events:
https://sixsess.org/training/
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