Synergistic Systems Design
Dr. Doster provides Synergistic Systems Design (SSD) as a training and development program for organizational managers, supervisors, and key individuals. This program is an excellent opportunity to encourage and reward employees who are showing leadership or the potential for leadership.
The purpose of the Synergistic Systems Design (SSD) program is to provide a comprehensive, systematic management development program that emphasizes knowledge acquisition and skill development for private and public sector leaders at all organizational levels. The program requires a high degree of commitment and application from the participants. The entire program consists of seven levels. Each level stands alone.
Curriculum
The SSD curriculum consists of seven levels. Each level is composed of workshop instruction, small and full group interaction, required reading, completion of work-related projects, and open discussion and evaluation. The curriculum is delivered within a highly participative and interactive learning environment. The curriculum's goal is to show measurable enhancements within specific interpersonal behaviors and operational skills such that participants improve at "working with and through others to identify and achieve common goals." Most of the instructional materials are published by IPANA.
Level Iconsists of developing a 360-degree personal and organizational pre-assessment baseline. Level II focuses on participants understanding and applying the Synergistic Leadership Toolbox. Levels III and IV transfer the knowledge, heightened awareness, and confidence gained from Levels I and II into direct application-based projects within the participants' workplace. Level V consists of a 360-degree personal and organizational post-assessment of those participants who completed at least Levels I and II. Level VI uses a 360-degree professional development program to integrate Leaderistics into an organization's operational processes and culture. Level VII guides participants through the creation of a product development or market penetration proposal.
Description of SSD Levels
The following is a brief description of each SSD level. The specific content of each may vary with the needs of participants or the host organization. Completion of the first six levels qualifies the participant for the IPANA Certificate in Synergistic Systems Design.
LEVEL I: 360-degree Personal and Organizational Baseline Profiles-Participants attend two sessions. During the first session, they receive instructions related to completing their confidential pre-assessment Personal Profile. At the subsequent session, participants receive and review their pre-assessment Personal Profiles. An Aggregated Organizational Profile is provided to the host organization and used for review purposes. As the Aggregated Organizational Profile is explained, participants review and evaluate their personal results. Participants are encouraged to transfer their perceptions of the self and others' data into personal visioning or goal commitments that can be worked on during Level II.
LEVEL II:Leaderistics Workshop-The specific "calculated behaviors" within each of the eight Tools of the Synergistic Leadership Toolbox are systematically presented, discussed, and related to workplace and personal situations, objectives, and goals. Various delivery formats are available ranging from weekly to monthly. Each workshop session starts with an in-depth discussion by participants of how the preceding session's Tool and its "calculated behaviors" actually worked during their application experiences.
LEVEL III: Retreats and Interpersonal Compressions-These are usually one to three days in length. Participants are challenged in retreat settings and discussions to explore specific issues that define their organization. Contemporary issues in leadership and management styles are presented and discussed.
LEVEL IV:SWOTS Analysis, Strategic Visioning and Action Planning-Participants receive two to four days of management development in which they formulate an organizational Strategic Vision or Mission Statement and action plan. Prior to this workshop, a SWOTS Analysis is completed by the host organization. Then, the organization's internal strengths and weaknesses, market opportunities and threats, as well as internal personal negative stressors are used as the basis for strategic visioning and action planning.
LEVEL V:360-degree Personal and Organizational Post-Assessment-This level consists of two sessions. The first session gathers the post-assessment personal and organizational data. The second session compares post-assessment and pre-assessment baseline data so that specific behavioral and operational enhancements, resulting from the SSD program, can be identified, reviewed, and evaluated.
LEVEL VI:360-degree Synergistic Growth Program (Performance Appraisal System)- This one or two day course presents a systems approach to integrating Leaderistics into an organization's operational processes and culture. A 360-degree Synergistic Growth Program (SGP) is presented as the means to create both synergistic operational processes and organizational culture. Participants review and discuss how the SGP establishes a professional development program that creates a market tough organization that produces significantly higher levels of cooperation and productivity.
LEVEL VII:Customer Satisfaction and Market Positioning- This organizational review and market assessment workshop consists of two four-day sessions. Participants are guided through the development of a Business Venture Feasibility Proposal for either an existing product's development or a new acquisition. Attention is given to existing market development, alternative market expansion, and increased customer loyalty base. First, participants assess their organization's core business area for existing product or new product fit. This assessment culminates in the identification of either an existing product for development or a new acquisition. Second, they conduct a market analysis that includes market location, market potentials, levels of competition, legal or sociocultural considerations, target market demographics, operational logistics, and pro forma statements. Finally, participants integrate these findings into a Business Venture Feasibility Proposal that includes an overview of how the product fits into the organization's design as well as the proposed marketing strategy, action plan, and executive summary.
Certificate in Synergistic Systems Design
The Institute for Planning and Needs Assessment recommends that participants follow the curriculum in the recommended sequence if they intend to complete the SSD program through to certification. The program is designed to build upon the theories and learning experiences of preceding levels and applications.