Contour homes in on effective change : Program outlines the vital role of communication

Purpose – Examines how Oakridge Training and Consulting designed and delivered a training program to enhance Contour Housing Group's ability to deliver effective change. Design/methodology/approach – Reports on the background to the training program and some of the results it has achieved. Findings – Claims that understanding the need for change is the first step to its acceptance, yet managers are too often frustrated by a lack of employee vision. Imposing change without communication and consultation serves only to widen the understanding and communication gap. Argues that, to avoid this, employers need to consider what they are doing to develop employees' understanding and ability to manage the process. Practical implications – Describes how, over the course of the program, managers were introduced to the concepts of personal impact and influence training, leading and managing change, building teams and the concept and application of action learning. Social implications – Highlights some basic principles that can help to make change a success in a wide range of organizations. Originality/value – Argues that change management does not end after the announcement of change plans; that is really only the starting‐point.