Curiosity is a key power in the world of business

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the professional body for human resources (HR), has been shaping people management for over a century globally, and for more than 50 years in Ireland.

As Alison puts it: “We are the accreditation body for HR, delivering qualifications, training, research, and advisory services.

“We represent the HR profession across government and NGO bodies, providing employer solutions and expert guidance.”

Yet, for Alison, the heart of CIPD is not the policies or the frameworks, it’s the community.

“Sometimes, we can feel alone in what we do. The work is sensitive, confidential, and requires so much discretion. That is why it is so powerful to have a community you can turn to, one that just gets it.”

Having been involved with the organisation since the late 1990s, and now steering its direction, she is committed to increasing CIPD’s reach, impact, and ability to support everyone with people-management responsibilities, from HR directors to finance or operations managers in SMEs.

Lessons in Leadership

Alison’s own leadership style has evolved over time.

“I used to think I had to have all the answers. Now I know the real power lies in curiosity, asking the right questions, and co-creating solutions together.”

Her years as Country HR Director for McDonald’s Ireland solidified this belief, working within the company’s collaborative ‘three-legged stool’ approach, bringing franchisees, suppliers, and employees into the decision-making process.

For Alison, openness, context, and collaboration are especially vital in times of change. She is clear that transparency builds trust, but so does decisiveness.

“When you co-create and work things through together, there’s more investment from individuals, teams, and organisations.

“But there are also moments where a leader must make the call, always making sure people know they’ve been heard and understand the rationale.”

Navigating AI with Integrity

On AI, Alison is both optimistic and grounded: “The biggest opportunity with AI is to augment human potential, not replace it.”

She sees speed as a game-changer. Work that once took 20 days can now take a matter of hours, enabling faster decisions and better outcomes for customers, employees, and stakeholders. But she’s equally vocal about responsibility: “Protecting personal data and intellectual property is vital. Compliance sets the rules, but ethics is conscience, knowing what’s right.”

Alison also sees AI as a catalyst for rethinking organisational structures.

“Research has shown that, ultimately, the opportunity AI presents is new ways of working and that gives us, as HR professionals and people managers, the chance to rearrange how we do what we do.

“What we have learned from our member organisations is that they are moving from the traditional pyramid structure to a diamond structure. Transactional entry-level roles are increasingly automated and if that hasn’t already happened, we’re well on the way.

“The focus now is on the middle: people managers, team leaders, and supervisors. Those roles need the most support.”

To help organisations adapt, CIPD has built AI-focused learning programmes for HR and People Managers around four pillars: organisation design, communication, skills development, and change management.

Bridging Generations

One of Alison’s favourite leadership challenges is uniting different generations in the workplace. She recalls a team made up of a Gen Z intern and a baby boomer near retirement: “It was fascinating. Sometimes the younger person would be confused, and they’d Google it. It’s about being open and understanding the unique values each generation brings.”

She believes these differences can be a source of innovation rather than tension.

“If you’re not a little different, I’m not interested,” she says with a smile.

Alison champions group coaching and reverse mentoring, where younger employees guide older ones especially on tech transitions, and experienced colleagues support with legacy systems.

“It’s symbiotic. One hand washes the other.”

The Takeaway for Future Leaders

If Alison could pass on one lesson, it’s this:

“You don’t have to have all the answers. Curiosity is the real power but the kind that moves things forward, not distracts or derails.”

Her closing advice is both simple and memorable: “You catch more bees with honey than vinegar. Life is too short not to look for the upside, the lesson, the data, even your gut instinct. That’s all valuable.”

In a world of constant change, Alison Hodgson’s brand of open, curious, and values-driven leadership is a reminder that while technology accelerates, it is still humanity that leads.

Interview by Mary Cummins, a leadership coach, programme facilitator, and co-director of Cummins Shannon, inspiring leaders and managers in universities and organisations to thrive. She can be contacted on 087 8290207.