Author Archives: Catherine Holdsworth
The only management models book you will ever need
14 September 2014 by Catherine Holdsworth in 100+ Management Models, Business and finance
Hundreds of models have been developed to track, measure and forecast business solutions, but as fashions shift how can we apply these theoretical frameworks effectively in real organizations?
Now, for the first time, business leaders can find all the most important models in one place. 100+ management models, the new book from international management experts Fons Trompenaars and Piet Hein Coebergh is a handy reference containing precise summaries of more than 100 classic management models. Each model is presented clearly and concisely, showing what problem it is intended to solve and how it might be used within an organization. All models also contain a helpful visualisation to aid understanding.
Each model is categorised under one of nine approaches to business: sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship, strategy, diversity of cultures, customers, human resource management, benchmarking and results, leadership, and implementation. At the end of each section there is a summary of the key dilemmas that tend to emerge from the particular function. This is an ideal book for both university students on management courses and business strategists wishing to find out which management models can work best for their organization.
You can view the contents list and see some sample models on this page.
Fons Trompenaars is the world’s leading cross cultural management expert. He is founder and director of Trompenaars Hampden-Turner (THT), a renowned consulting firm in the field of intercultural management. He is the author or co-author of eleven books on culture and business, including the global bestseller, Riding the waves of culture. His books have been translated into a dozen languages. Piet Hein Coebergh is an expert in formulating and communicating corporate strategy. He is lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences Leiden and managing consultant at Coebergh Communications & PR. He is author or co-author of a dozen books and articles on communication, governance and e-commerce.
‘I highly encourage students, academics and leaders in business and government to take note of the latest sustainable business models, theories and best-practices set out in this book. The reason is straightforward: we all have a responsibility to make the much needed transformational change towards a more sustainable and equitable world.’
Paul Polman, CEO Unilever and Chairman World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Short cuts to supermodel looks, as London Fashion Week 2014 begins
12 September 2014 by Catherine Holdsworth in Entertainment, Lifestyle
Today fashionistas in London are gathering to watch the models of London Fashion Week strut their stuff. With the exciting line-up of designers at this year’s event offering a variety of fashions from ready to wear all the way up to haute couture there are bound to be some new looks that strike fear into our hearts (‘What – with my thighs?’ …). So how can you look gorgeous and fashionable? Linda Bird and Cherry Maslan’s book, Catwalk looks offers some simple suggestions on how to look your best at all times – we can’t all look like supermodels Lara Stone and Cara Delevingne, but here are some tips that can at least help you feel like a supermodel.
The key to looking great is lots and lots of sleep, eating well, working out daily, good skin care etc. We all know this, but surely there must be an easier way. The problem is that you haven’t quite found the time for all that healthy living stuff but what you do have is a date/party/wedding and just a few hours to get ready and you just have to shine.
First impressions do count, so make sure that you have all your necessary maintenance done for your special night out. It’s not just the look itself, it’s the fact that the psychological boost will leave you with a glow that shows. For a small investment that goes a long way, a manicure is a must.
For a short-term skin solution you can’t beat a facial. If you can afford the time and the money for a salon-based treat then do so – the more you spend, the better you’ll feel. However, if you can’t, there’s plenty you can do at home. Forget cucumber slices on the eyes – it’ll make you feel too much like a distressed divorcee and not enough like a sex kitten. Instead have a hot bath before you go out to plump out your complexion with all that steam and to get the circulation going so that you appear rosy and, therefore, healthy.
For an energy boost try supergreens. These are ground up superfoods – health-promoting vegetables, algae and sprouted grasses – which give a shot of optimum nutrition in one glass. Upside: you’ll swear you can actually notice the difference in energy levels and well-being. Downside: they tend to taste disgusting. So mix these energy-enhancing powders with a little juice and down the hatch.
Some people also recommend performing a couple of press-ups to flush the blood through your system and bring a healthy glow to your skin. (Not so many that you arrive out of breath and beetroot faced.) Before you make your entrance, try spritzing (not dousing) your face with a water spray, which helps cool you down and also freshens up your make-up – so carry your own supply with you at all times.
Top 10 management models for your business #8: Communication and employee engagement
10 September 2014 by Catherine Holdsworth in 100+ Management Models, Business and finance
by Fons Trompenaars and Piet Hein Coebergh, co-authors of 100+ Management Models.
Problem statement
How can employee engagement be strengthened through communication?
Essence
Academic and former communications professional Mary Welch connects insights on HRM, leadership and communication in her view of employee engagement. The roots of her model can be traced back to the work of Daniel Katz and Robert Kahn, who discussed the importance of engaging with employees in their 1966 classic The Social Psychology of Organizations. This was taken up in 1999 by Gallup’s Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman in their book First, Break all the Rules, that claimed that engaged employees drive customer loyalty and that ‘The right people in the right roles with the right managers drive employee engagement’. Since then, business interest in the concept has prompted demand for the provision of employee engagement consultancy services, which has been met by companies including Gallup, Aon Hewitt, Mercer, Towers Watson, Hay Group, Kenexa and BlessingWhite. These companies, among many others, offer a series of reports and tools (widely available on their corporate websites) to support the bottom line by measuring and strengthening employee engagement.
How to use the model
This conceptual model illustrates the possible impact of communication on employee
engagement at an organizational level. Engagement is recognized as a three-component construct comprising emotional, cognitive and physical dimensions, associated with dedication, absorption and vigour. The three psychological conditions necessary for engagement (meaningfulness, safety and availability) that Robert Kahn identified in his later work are integrated into the model. Commitment is associated with engagement and is affected by leadership communication, so the model integrates the constructs of organizational commitment as an antecedent of engagement. It positions aspects of leadership communication from senior managers in relation to employee engagement. Communication is a psychological need of employees, which organizations have to meet to maintain and develop employee engagement. Aspects of internal corporate communication are positioned as influencing engagement variables on the one hand (by promoting commitment and a sense of belonging), and as communication engagement outcomes on the other (through awareness and understanding). The model conceptualizes innovation, competitiveness and organizational effectiveness as organizational outcomes of employee engagement, which can be promoted by effective internal corporate communication.
Results
The model encourages communicators to consider potential engagement effects of
communication strategies and tactics as well as the communication needs of employees. In combination with a wide choice of tools that are available on the Internet, typically provided by consulting firms who offer additional services for analysis and implementation, the model serves as an academic reference and possible framework for improvement plans.
Comments
Despite its importance for leaders of organizations, there is considerable academic confusion about the meaning of employee engagement and its contribution to performance. On a theoretical level, however, there appears to be consensus about the strong role of communication. This is in line with how various authors on management theory define the importance of communication in leadership, including John Kotter’s 8-step process for leading change (discussed earlier in this Part), with step four being ‘communicating the vision for buy-in’. Surprisingly, corporate communication literature has not yet adequately considered the concept of engagement. This may be due to confusion concerning the concept, and to concerns about overlaps with other constructs such as commitment. This model tackles the gap in the literature, modelling the role of internal corporate communication in enhancing employee engagement.
Literature
Albrecht, S.L. (2012) Handbook of Employee Engagement: Perspectives, Issues, Research and Practice, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar.
Groysberg, B., Slind, M. (2012) ‘Leadership is a Conversation’, Harvard Business Review, June, pp. 75–84.
Welch, M. (2011) ‘The Evolution of the Employee Engagement Concept: Communication Implications’, Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 16:4, pp. 328–346.
The astute PR of the second royal baby
9 September 2014 by Catherine Holdsworth in Book publishing, Current events
By now we hope that you’ve come back down to earth from the news that Kate Middleton (or Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge) is with child once again. Hooray, not long after Prince George took his first steps, his mother is providing him with a sibling to play with. How delightful.
At the Infinite Ideas office in Oxford yesterday, we were sorry not to catch a glimpse of the royal car driving past carrying Prince William. Nevertheless, while we wish Kate many congratulations and hope that her morning sickness does not continue too long, we can’t help but think there’s something rather well timed about this announcement.
Of course, we’re not suggesting that Kate was under strict instructions from the queen to get pregnant again before the Scottish referendum but the announcement has come at a very good time for the United Kingdom. At the eleventh hour, with Scotland firmly in the ‘Yes’ camp, the happy news of the new royal baby is likely to have filled those hardened Scottish voters with joy and nostalgia for the 2012 Olympics, the royal wedding, and the Jubilee.
Tim Phillips’ analysis of Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince highlights the importance of PR in cultivating an image and preserving a brand.
If you’re cynical, you might say that public relations is 100% dedicated to creating the image that you’re more virtuous than you really are. This is a lie, as I’m sure all of you who work in public relations would agree. The figure is no more than 90%; the other 10% is spent at lunch.
As a guide to how public relations can change your life, there can be no better publication than Flat Earth News, by veteran reporter Nick Davies. His disgust at the way that PR companies create ‘AstroTurf’ groups (these are ones with fake grass roots), will have 98% of his readers throwing his book across the room in outrage. AstroTurf groups have neutral-sounding names like ‘Americans for Constitutional Freedom’ (promoting pornography, in actual fact), ‘Americans Against Unfair Gas Taxes’ (promoting the oil business), or the ‘Tobacco Institute’ (which is for the right to smoke – promoted by the tobacco industry). They also have the financial backing of the companies who stand to gain from their activism.
The other 2% of readers who didn’t throw his book to one side in disgust, but who immediately thought, ‘that’s interesting, I could use that’ have the sort of leadership potential that Machiavelli could work with. He would have agreed with the rather straightforward title of a conference that Davies quotes in his book. It was for the PR business, and was called ‘Shaping Public Opinion – If You Don’t Do It, Someone Else Will’.
Not only that, but they’ll make money by doing it.
Public relations is a truly Machiavellian force in the real sense of the word. It is dedicated to achieving and preserving power for the people it serves, independently of the values of ‘wrongness’ or ‘rightness’ that are attached to their clients. It’s a bit rich to disagree with public relations because it earns a large amount of money to promote things you find unacceptable. The thing is, the people you might agree with are doing this PR stuff too. They have to. There isn’t a powerful person out there who isn’t shaping his or her public perception using highly paid professionals. The same is true of organisations, from commercial companies to not-for-profit bodies and charities. Environmental campaigners do it to save the planet, singers do it to get a recording contract, car manufacturers do it to sell cars. Your competition does it. You need PR.
The best public relations isn’t fiction, remember. It’s selective reporting of the truth, designed to highlight your virtues and distract attention from your weaknesses. If you’re not interested in getting a piece of that, you’re not really interested in power.
Ideas for London cocktail week
8 September 2014 by Catherine Holdsworth in Spirits distilled, Wine and spirits
It’s London cocktail week and whether you’re in the UK’s capital ready and waiting to sample some exciting drinks or just going to play along at home, we’ve got some tasty recipes that you can make easily for yourself. If you like these cocktails and are looking for some more ideas, download Nicholas Faith’s guide to cognac for FREE, yes, free and impress your friends with all your spirit(ual) knowledge!
Brass Monkey
A delightfully named cognac cocktail that can be traced back to the Napoleonic wars, when a common expression used by seafaring folks of the time was ‘cold enough to freeze the balls off of a brass monkey …’. The appreciation of brandy by the men of this time is what led to the creation of this cocktail. Today the concoction is still enjoyed in the smartest of cognac bars around the world.
Ingredients
2 parts VSOP cognac
½ part tawny port
½ part Benedictine
½ part fresh orange juice
3 dashes of orange bitters
ice cubes
Place the ice cubes in a tumbler glass and then stir all the ingredients together. Garnish with half a slice of orange and serve immediately.
Brandy Crusta
The precursor to the Sidecar, this is a great cocktail that’s noted for being served in a sugar-encrusted glass. Its origins can be traced back to the first ever cocktail guide by Jeremiah P. Thomas, The Bon Vivant’s Companion, published in 1862. Best served in a tulip glass or small wine glass, this easy to make cocktail is certainly one that will wow your dinner guests (they don’t need to know how simple it is to produce).
Ingredients
2 parts VSOP cognac (brand of your choice)
freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon
1 part orange liqueur (such as Triple Sec)
½ part sugar syrup
1 lemon peel (with pith removed)
1 tablespoon crushed Demerara sugar, for the rim of the
glass
Prepare the glass by lining the rim with sugar and chilling. This is done by first wetting the rim of the glass with some lemon juice. Place the Demerara sugar on a saucer or small plate, turn the glass upside down and dip in using a twisting motion. Place the sugar-encrusted glass in the fridge for 15 minutes to cool. Put all the ingredients (except the lemon peel) into a cocktail shaker and mix well. Leave to cool. Pour into the glass and garnish with the peel of the lemon curled into the top part of the glass. Serve immediately.
Rolls Royce
As you’d imagine with such a prestigious name, the Rolls Royce certainly is royalty when it comes to cognac cocktails. But even with such a grand name, this is a simple cocktail to produce, and one that sits well on even the smartest of dinner tables.
Ingredients
3cl cognac (quality and brand of your choice – for a more
decadent cocktail go with a higher quality)
3cl Cointreau
6cl orange juice
1 egg white
ice cubes
Put the ice cubes in a tumbler or tall glass and then add the rest of the ingredients. Use a cocktail stirrer to mix well. Serve immediately.
Between the Sheets
Yeah, baby! This is one to spice up any party, and is definitely a classic cocktail. It’s also quite alcoholic, so be aware of this when sipping, as it doesn’t taste as lethal as it really is …
Ingredients
3cl cognac (quality and brand of your choice)
3cl white rum
3cl Cointreau
3cl lemon juice
1 slice of lemon
crushed ice
Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and mix well. Allow to cool, then pour into a tumbler, long glass or balloon glass and serve immediately.
Good luck experimenting, please enjoy responsibly! You can also read about the history of cognac, the world’s greatest brandy in Nicholas Faith’s extensively researched book, Cognac.
Weekly roundup
5 September 2014 by Catherine Holdsworth in Book publishing
What has been happening in the office this week?
Thankfully, the Internet was working every day this week so we managed to get lots done. Tsjalle van der Burg’s book, Football business was published on Monday in time for the transfer deadline day and featured prominently in the Daily Star’s sports pages today. Catherine Cooper’s Jack Brenin collection was published in Bulgarian and looks very beautiful indeed (well done Fiut). Copies of 100+ Management Models finally arrived in the office and look very impressive.
You can also get your hands on a FREE ebook of both Richard Mayson’s guide to vintage port and Nicholas Faith’s guide to cognac, useful for the established wine connoisseur or those who fancy learning a bit more about wine before the holiday season begins.
In other news, today is Rebecca’s birthday and, as a treat, she was allowed to put two pieces in the Gone with the Wind jigsaw. Richard learnt who Kim Kardashian was, and he’s pretty sure that it has changed his life in no way whatsoever, and Catherine’s mum brought cake down from Cumbria.