Organizations utilizing the Mandt System within their workplace often ask us to share the factors that we believe most significantly contribute to transfer of learning into the working practice. Our immediate comment is that transfer is less of an issue than sustainability…. Over time many factors can contribute to derailing a well intentioned implementation process. To answer this question more fully, we can point to a concept or individual and that is the workplace ‘Mandt Champion’ or ‘Skills Coach’. This is the individual who often intuitively embodies and applies the Mandt approach in their relationships and engagement equally amongst all constituents within the organization.
In some organizations this individual or Skills Coach naturally comes to the fore through undefined action and by the recognition of others. Sometimes this person is the Mandt certified trainer, but more often is a direct care or front line staff member. Hoping that this evolution naturally occurs may not be enough so helping may be a better approach for the organization that is serious about ‘bedding in’ the Mandt System approach and creating the sustainability that we have mentioned.
So finding your Mandt Champions or Skills Coach is the challenge. Every organization has a unique culture and operational personality and it is most likely that prospective candidates will already have embraced and be working toward that mission and goals. Additionally candidates are often characterized as those that somehow emit a calm and caring demeanor in all of their interactions. Often just being around this person can aid people to exhibit or work to their best whether staff or service user. Most staff teams if you ask them can identify one or two individuals in their teams for whom these behaviors are true.
What we have found is that these embodiments of the Mandt Philosophy will often expose an attitude not dissimilar to that of Mandt. They will often say, ‘I just try to always treat people the way I would like to be treated’ or ‘I always try and put myself in the other persons shoes and imagine how I might be feeling in the dame situation as then, and what would make me feel better’. These folks are a great staring point for consideration of your skills coach or Mandt champion. Having them share their approach or become co trainers is a great first step in achieving the sustainability goal.
Simon Kemp – The Mandt System
Director of Organizational Integrity
