How Great Organisations Master Change - With Julie Hodges & Hilary Scarlett

What do successful organisations do differently when facing change?

In this high-impact episode of Just Great People, Barry Eustance speaks with two of the UK’s leading authorities on organisational change - Professor Julie Hodges (Durham University) and workplace neuroscience expert Hilary Scarlett. 

Together, they dismantle the common myths of change management and expose why so many transformation efforts fall flat.

 The real problem? Leaders too often treat change as a process, not a human experience.

This discussion dives into the emotional realities of change, the unspoken role of organisational culture, and how to truly engage employees when uncertainty is at its peak. 

With AI now accelerating disruption across every sector, understanding how people respond to change is no longer optional - it’s urgent.

Julie and Hilary offer practical guidance drawn from research, real-world case studies, and deep experience working with FTSE 100 firms, public sector bodies, and fast-scaling businesses. 
 
This episode will shift how you think about leadership, trust, and resilience in the face of constant change.

What You'll Learn:

• Why top-down change models often fail - and what to do instead
• How to equip managers to be change agents, not messengers
• The hidden influence of organisational culture on transformation
• How the brain responds to change - and why it matters for leaders
• What real trust-building looks like during periods of uncertainty
• Why failing fast isn’t enough - learning fast matters more
• How to create psychological safety for honest employee feedback
• Why AI is forcing organisations to rethink change capability
• The importance of proactive, transparent communication
• How to build long-term ‘change muscle’ inside your business

Key Quotes

• “Change is an emotional process - not a checklist.”
• “You can’t lead change if people don’t trust you.”
• “Change has to change - because people have changed.”

Useful Links

The Sixsess Consultancy 

The Sixsess Consultancy’s PEOPLE Change Management and Leadership Framework:

https://sixsess.org/training/people-change-management-leadership-framework-course/ 

Subject Guides: https://sixsess.org/guides/

Hilary Scarlett’s Neuroscience for Organizational Change: https://www.koganpage.com/hr-learning-development/neuroscience-for-organizational-change-9781398621282

Julie Hodge’s People-centric Organizational Change:
https://www.koganpage.com/hr-learning-development/people-centric-organizational-change-9781398612556

Julie Hodge’s Managing and Leading People through Organizational Change:

https://www.koganpage.com/hr-learning-development/managing-and-leading-people-through-organizational-change-9781398621480

Keywords people-centric change, leadership, organisational change, change management, employee engagement, management strategies, continuous improvement, the PEOPLE Change Management and Leadership Framework, transformation, business growth,

I hope you really enjoyed our podcast and found it to be inspiring and insightful.

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I really look forward to reading and replying to your thoughts and comments.

Many thanks

Kindest regards

Barry