Professor Julie Hodges

Professor Julie Hodges

I am an academic, author and consultant focusing on change in organisations. My particular area of specialism is people-centred change and I have written a number of books on this subject.

Location Durham, England, UK

Activity

  • Dear All,
    Congratulations on completing this course. Really appreciate all your responses and comments. All the best with applying the tools and techniques we have discussed.
    If you want to continue to find out more about managing and leading people during organizational change you will find the following books of help:
    Hodges, J. (2016) Managing and...

  • Thanks for sharing @PeterSutherland

  • Dear All,
    Thanks for all your comments. As you mention there are several ways that Anna could have kept people engaged including involvement of stakeholders and the development of an effective communications plan. In my book on 'Employee Engagement for Organizational Change I outline the following key principles to help build and maintain engagement with...

  • @HansGNedden - completely agree that identifying risks needs to be done at the start of a change process, along with the identification of benefits. Both need to be reviewed regularly during the change.

  • Thanks for sharing @JohnTurner you highlight the impact of change being mismanaged. The effects on health and wellbeing can be considerable. What would you do differently based on your experience when managing change?

  • Dear All,
    An impact analysis can also be used to assess, in the following way, implementation issues
    i. Prepare for Impact Analysis. The first step is to gather together a team, with access to the right information sources. Make sure that the intervention proposed is clearly defined, and that everyone involved in the assessment is briefed about what is...

  • Thanks@DavidRansome You highlight the need for concise and clear communications which are also empathetic and ensure the continued engagement of individuals and teams.

  • Thanks to everyone for posting your responses to the various activities this week. Delighted to hear that you are enjoying the course and adding to your skills with the various techniques and frameworks discussed. Here is an article which you may find of interest.
    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-avoid-restructures-causing-unnecessary-anxiety-fear-hodges/

  • Impressive experience @VictoriaFlower I would love to know more about what the role of a 'Change Coach' - what are the key responsibilities of it and would you advise other organisations to have a similar role?

  • Thanks for sharing and for your feedback @LenetteT . Appreciative Inquiry is a great framework to use. How have you applied it in change situations?

  • Sounds like you have great emotional intelligence @LauraSmith

  • Great takeaways @LaraOdetoyinbo

  • Thanks for feedback and for sharing @OlufemiFORTUNE-IDOWU

  • Thanks @LaraOdetoyinbo - completely agree about employees being the most valuable and important assets. What is important is to avoid imposing change on them and whenever feasible engaging them in the need for, and decisions about what needs to change.

  • @VictoriaFlower I have worked in a similar organisation - but also in a great one which I still praise highly.

  • @CaroleAB key is honesty, trust, benevolence, integrity - whatever the situation or crisis.

  • @LauraSmith @AsadN - personal biases (often unconscious) also impact on what we hear and don't hear.

  • Thanks for sharing @LenetteT - shows the impact of different leadership styles.

  • Like your point about communicating about what will not change as well as what will change @JohnTurner We all need to know what will stay the same.

  • Great point about communication @CaroleAB. The key is to ensure communication is sustained throughout a change process - with different channels being used for different audiences. Also keep is building feedback into communication to enable people to voice their views, concerns, hopes and fears.

  • Thanks for raising. What would be your preferred response @DavidRansome ?

  • Thanks @LauraSmith - communication is vital during change particularly dialogue.

  • Thanks for your comments about applying the ZOUD framework. This is an approach which can be used in complex or hard to resolve change issues, especially when there are differences of opinion. ZOUD is about being able to raise difficult issues which are often ignored during change, in a structured way. It is often easier to avoid those difficult conversations...

  • Hi @HansGNedden You raise some valid points - hence a more detailed and refined change transition curve is outlined in 2.7 which is based on several models. How people transition through change is complex and the pace and process varies.

  • Dear All,
    Ethics is a key part of organizational change (but often ignored or glossed over). Key leadership activities to help address ethical issues during change include:
    - Providing a clear rationale for the change
    - Appreciating stakeholders' values and beliefs and how they align to those of the organization
    - Creating space for dialogue so that...

  • Thanks @HansGNedden What might Anna have done differently?

  • Thanks @ArleneEstwick - what might Anna have done differently?

  • Dear All,
    Welcome to week two.
    Thanks for your responses to the scenarios. There are some really good responses which outline the key issues.
    In scenario 1: staff are being involved in some of the key decisions about the change and asked to share their views. Communication has been by email and then face-to-face. There is clarity on the timelines. All...

  • Dear All,
    Congratulations on completing your first week of this course. It is great to read all your comments and feedback about what you are learning. You may find the article below which I posted on my LinkedIn site recently of interest.
    https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/managing-challenges-engaging-people-change-professor-julie-hodges/

  • Thanks for your feedback @MuhammadYusuf. Consider what you might do differently as a result of what you have learnt in week of this course.

  • The way an organization communicates about change and the words and images it chooses to represent transformations is important. What is said about change is one thing but to whom and how it is said is just as important. Central to this is framing and rhetorical crafting. Framing is the management of meaning and connecting messages with the needs and interests...

  • Good point @HansGNedden - stakeholders views and positions will vary over time. Some may leave the change project, some may leave the organisation, and some new stakeholders may join the organisation and the change project. So stakeholder analysis needs to be an activity which is done frequently during a transformation.

  • Thanks everyone for your comments and responses. The majority of you have analysed the stakeholders in the correct way which is outlined below. Now consider how you will use the stakeholder mapping exercise in practice. Remember stakeholder mapping is something that needs to be regularly reviewed throughout an organizational transformation as stakeholders will...

  • Good point @LenetteT - thanks for sharing

  • There are some really good responses here which outline the key stakeholders. Change can only be achieved if stakeholders – those affected by organizational change –- are given a chance to engage with it. When organizations are faced with the prospect and speed of change, they often fail to include relevant people. It is, however, important to ensure...

  • Good point about stakeholders @ZoeMay which we will explore later in this course.

  • Thanks @JillCartledge Like your point about benefits bringing people along on the journey. One way to do this is to involve individuals/teams in identifying how they will translate the benefits into their own personal/team objectives and how these objectives will be measured.

  • Thanks @LaraOdetoyinbo It is also worth doing an impact analysis before a change starts to identify the overall impact of it.

  • Thanks @MatthewForward you outline a comprehensive approach for planned change. I would also add feedback and evaluation as of importance.

  • @HansGNedden - good point benefits are tangible and intangible. From your experience how have you measured the intangible benefits?

  • @JaneHodgson @JohnTurner - the challenge is to identify what will change - what will people be doing differently, saying differently, how will they be behaving differently. Measuring the people element is often about measuring the application of new skills, ways of working, team working and so on. As always the old adage 'what gets measured gets done' is...

  • Thanks @JaneHodgson You raise a really good point about the need for evaluating change. Evaluation is an ongoing process which begins when a change process starts. How are you measuring the 'cultural' stuff you mention?

  • @VictoriaFlower @KateD sounds familiar to what we are going through at the University where I work. The challenge for organizations which are used to incremental (small, slow paced change) is rapid radical transformational change which needs to be done quickly. There is also a lot more emergent rather than planned change which creates more uncertainty and...

  • Great example to share @OlufemiFORTUNE-IDOWU thanks.

  • Thanks @LenetteT - really like that you encourage story telling - this is a powerful way of communicating.

  • Thanks everyone for your comments. Identifying benefits is a key part of any organisational change. They types of benefits that should be identified include financial (such as a decrease in costs), operational (for instance, an increase in stock availability), and employee (such as in increase in retention rates). Once you have identified benefits the next...

  • Thanks @ZoeMay for sharing this example - great to see how the practices can be so effective. What are the key lessons learnt for you about what you might do differently when using the leadership practices?

  • Thanks @PeterSutherland you raise a key point about stakeholders which we explore later in this course. Stakeholder identification, engagement, management -- need to be an ongoing part of any transformational change.

  • Great example to share @AishatuEliakwu

  • Thanks for sharing this example @JillCartledge. What lessons will you take away from it and what will you do differently with future changes you are involved in?

  • Thanks @MatthewForward - you raise some key points. As leadership is a process for guiding and motivating people it can be done by members at any level in the organisation - not just those at the top.
    Great point about how change 'feels - change is an emotional process and impacts on the feelings of individuals and can create a variety of reactions from...

  • Thanks @LaraOdetoyinbo - you raise some important points. What is the best way to keep the momentum going?

  • Great point @GeorgieClarke Change needs a sense of purpose but also ownership from people throughout the organisation (and in some cases also from external stakeholders).

  • Good point you raise @JohnTurner Leadership need to role model the practices - how might you apply the practices and build visibility?

  • Thanks @HelenMay - completely agree that energy is vital during change. How might you maintain your energy during a change process?

    Leadership is partly about role modelling behaviours so what opportunities are there for you to role model collaboration?

  • Good point @JaneHodgson. It is very hard to change an entire culture but it is possible to change elements of it (such as structure, systems, skills). Energy is vital for ensuring change is implemented and sustained effectively. How might you ensure you maintain your energy during a change process?

  • Thanks @VictoriaFlower @KateD The challenge is to sell the benefits of change to people, but also to give them space to share their ideas, concerns, hopes and fears. Often there is a reason why people oppose change - key is to try and see it from their perspective. If ultimately they are not willing to change and you have done all you can to engage them, let...

  • Great thanks @MuhammadYusuf - what will be the key ways that you support people during change?

  • Thanks for sharing this example @OlufemiFORTUNE-IDOWU How will you apply the leadership practices in your work?

  • Good point @JoscelynShaw. The key with sponsorship is that it is maintained throughout a change process. Leaders need to be visible advocates of change until it is embedded and becomes 'work as usual'.

  • Great to hear @AlejandraGonzalez. How might you apply these principles in your work?

  • Thanks @LenetteT - good point. It is also vital that leaders and managers maintain a sense of purpose and direction through a change process.

  • Thanks to everyone who has commented on the leadership practices. The leadership of change depends on the attitudes, values and actions of leaders, since leading people through change is about showing the way and helping people in order to engage them in the transformation. It means working out how to involve people effectively in change from the beginning,...

  • Hi everyone - as you work through the course do please ensure that you respond to the comments made by others. This provides a good opportunity to have a dialogue about the elements covered in the course.

  • Thanks @RimaAlbaarini Good point about influencing - this is vital in order to ensure that individuals and teams are engaged in change.

  • Thanks @MuhammadYusuf . Sense-building is ensuring people are clear on the rationale for the change, why it needs to happen, how it will happen, and importantly what it means for them and their job.

  • Thanks @VictoriaFlower. Completely agree that we are currently experiencing change at a rate we have never know before (at least in our live times). Not only is it at an accelerated pace but it is also emergent - which means some of it cannot be planned - which makes it complex and chaotic.

  • Thanks @JohnTurner Great to hear you are also taking a people-centric approach. Often all the attention is on the 'processes' rather than the 'people' - the key is to ensure that both are given attention.

  • Thanks @LenetteT Good point you make about change. Change is challenging and difficult and often we prefer the status quo than doing something new.

  • Good point @LaraOdetoyinbo Communication is vital and we will discuss that in more depth later in the MOOC.

  • Good point @JillCartledge - it is worth knowing why people react as they do to change. There are different drivers and motivators of responses from different people.

  • Hi @JillCartledge great to have you on the course. I look forward to hearing more about your experience and reading your responses to the various activities as you progress through the course. Hopefully it will help with the unprecedented and rapid change the University is going through.

  • Hi @ClaireSaunders welcome to the course. I look forward to hearing more about your experience as you work through the course.

  • Hi @LaraOdetoyinbo welcome to the course.

  • Welcome to the course @GRACIELAVASQUEZ The role of HR is vital in organizational change - I look forward to hearing more about your experience as you work through the activities.

  • Hi @PeterSutherland welcome to the course. I look forward to reading more about your experience as you progress through the activities.

  • Hi @OkechukwuEkemezie welcome to the course.

  • Hi @DaisyBarrett welcome to the course. Sounds like you are doing some vital work in hospitals. I look forward to reading your responses to the activities as you progress through the course.

  • Hi @MatthewForward welcome to the course. Sounds like a challenging time in terms of change in the University. Great to hear you are developing a People & Culture approach - what are the key elements of this you are involved in?

  • Hi @ArhamRahat welcome to the course. All the best with your degree course. Hope you find this MOOC of value.

  • Hi @SUATTANIR welcome to the course - hope you find it helpful.

  • Hi @ReiGa-WunLeung welcome to the course.

  • Hi @YashJain welcome to the course.

  • Hi @FB welcome to the course. What types of changes are you doing in your workplace?

  • Hi @GeorgieClarke welcome to the course. Looking forward to reading more about your experience as you progress through the activities.

  • Hi @GarjitaArtanti welcome to the course.

  • Hi @LenetteT welcome to the course. Looking forward to reading your responses as you work through the activities.

  • Hi @ChiragTandon welcome to the course.

  • Hi @JohnTurner welcome to the course. Would love to know more about the cultural change programme. I have written quite bit about culture change in my various books. In my latest one I have focused on changing elements of the culture rather than attempting to change the entire culture. What approach is your organisation taking?

  • Hi @HelenMay welcome to the course. It is such a challenging time in HE - things are changing overnight which would have taken months if not years to change before. I look forward to reading more about your experience as you progress through the activities.

  • Hi @KirstyWarner welcome to the course. All the best with your new role.

  • Hi @JaneHodgson welcome to your first MOOC. Looking forward to reading your responses as you progress through the activities.

  • Hi @ZilpherOwiti welcome to the course. All the sessions are recorded so you can watch them at a time which is best for you.

  • Hi welcome to the course @ZilpherOwiti

  • Hi @MauricioBogado welcome to the course.

  • Welcome to the course @MuhammadYusuf Looking forward to reading more about your experience as you progress through the activities.

  • Welcome to the course @ArleneEstwick Will be good to read your responses to the various activities as you progress through them.

  • Hi @LauraSmith welcome to the course. The role of HR is so important at this time of unprecedented change. Looking forward to reading more about your experience as you work through the course.