Psychological Safety
3.17 | “A healthy relationship is one where two independent people just make a deal that they will help make the other person the best version of themselves." - Lewis Howes
News and Numbers
Markets this Week:
S&P 500 is up 2.03%
NASDAQ 100 is up 3.03%
Bitcoin-USD is down 1.29%.
Ethereum-USD is down 1.18%.
Headlines from this Week:
Rolex to buy Bucherer, owner of Tourneau.
Roark Capital to buy Subway.
Finance
By Vlad Estoup, B.Comm. (Finance); working in Ethereum cybersecurity
OOO
Out of office until October 7, 2023.
This is not financial advice and you should always do your own research before investing in any securities or cryptocurrencies.
Sci-Tech
By Keyann, Software Engineer in Web3
The croissant rabbit hole
They say that cooking is an art, while baking is a science. Which is why, for this week’s article, i’m writing about baking. Specifically, croissants, and the flour that goes into baking these delicious baked goods.
If you’ve travelled to France, you may notice the croissants there taste incredibly better than the ones anywhere else. But it’s not like there are no french pastry chefs anywhere else in the world. So what accounts for that difference? The reasons go deep.
A croissant is essentially dough and butter layered and folded several times over, and baked in an oven. Although the technique for folding might differ, the difference between what makes the countries’ croissants different is at the heart of the butter and dough they use.
Butter is made from dairy, and in Canada, on average, cows have different diets that can contribute to sweeter tasting dairy, like eating a mix of grain that has more corn than grass.
Onto the the dough. The main ingredient in dough is flour. In Canada, the common flour used is ‘all-purpose’ flour, whereas in France they use something called ‘Type 55’ flour.
Type 55 flour, being a bread flour used for French baking, might have an ash content in the range of 0.50% to 0.60%. All-purpose flour used in North America usually has an ash content around 0.40% to 0.50%.
The classification of flour types based on numbers, like Type 55, is a European system that categorizes flours by their ash content.
The ash content refers to the mineral content left after the flour is burned. This system is used to indicate the extraction rate of the flour, which is a measure of how much of the grain (endosperm) is retained in the flour after milling.
Ash Content: The ash content of flour is a measure of the mineral content present in the flour after it's burned at high temperatures. It's expressed as a percentage of the flour's weight. Ash content is used as an indicator of how much of the original wheat kernel (bran and germ) is present in the flour. Higher ash content indicates that more of the outer layers of the wheat kernel are included in the flour.
Mineral Content: The ash content measurement provides information about the mineral content of the flour, but it doesn't specify which minerals are present. The term "mineral content" refers to various minerals naturally found in wheat, such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and trace minerals like zinc and iron. Different types of flours can have varying mineral compositions due to the degree of processing and the type of wheat used.
Protein Content: Protein content is an important characteristic of flour because it influences the texture and structure of baked goods. Higher protein content usually results in stronger gluten formation, which is desirable for bread-making. Bread flour generally has a higher protein content compared to all-purpose flour, which in turn has a higher protein content compared to cake flour.
Milling Process: The milling process involves several steps to transform whole wheat grains into flour:
Cleaning and Conditioning: Wheat grains are cleaned to remove impurities and then conditioned to optimize moisture content.
Tempering: Conditioned grains are allowed to rest, allowing moisture to distribute evenly throughout the wheat kernel.
Milling: The tempered grains are passed through rollers to separate them into different parts: the bran (outer layer), endosperm (starchy middle layer), and germ (innermost part).
Sifting: Different parts are sifted to separate them further. The endosperm is ground into flour, and the bran and germ are sifted out to varying degrees.
Blending: Different fractions are blended in specific proportions to achieve desired flour characteristics.
Ash Content Measurement: The ash content measurement is a method used to determine the mineral content of flour. It involves incinerating a sample of flour at a high temperature to completely burn off the organic components (like starch and protein), leaving behind the mineral content (primarily minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium).
The ashes remaining after the incineration are weighed, and the ash content is calculated as a percentage of the original flour's weight. This measurement gives an indication of how much of the bran and germ (which have higher mineral content) are present in the flour, as compared to the endosperm.
The term "ash content" can sometimes be misleading, as it refers to the residual minerals left after the organic material is burned, not to the flour itself being burned.
All this, and flour can still vary based on the quality of the wheat used, which can also very depending region, climate, soil, or agricultural practices used to produce and harvest the wheat.
So, next time you’re eating a croissant, be mindful and marvel at the complex set of factors that go into the seemingly simple baked good.
Paradigm Shift
By Roman Kuittinen-Dhaoui, BBA, CPHR Candidate; working in Human Resources
Psychological Safety in the Workplace
Psychological safety in the workplace is a vital but often underestimated element of a healthy and productive work environment. It refers to a culture where employees feel safe to express themselves, voice their opinions, solicit feedback, take calculated risks, and make mistakes without fearing ridicule or repercussions. In such an environment, individuals are free to be authentic, which in turn fosters creativity, innovation, and open communication.
Psychological safety in the workplace is a vital but often underestimated element of a healthy and productive work environment.
First of all, psychological safety is essential for employee well-being. When individuals feel safe at work, they experience lower stress levels, reduced burnout, and improved mental health. This, in turn, leads to increased job satisfaction and higher levels of engagement and commitment to their roles and the organization as a whole.
Secondly, psychological safety is a driving force behind innovation and problem-solving. In an environment where employees are comfortable sharing their ideas and thoughts, there is a higher likelihood of diverse perspectives coming together to generate creative solutions. Employees are more likely to take risks and challenge the status quo when they know they won't face punishment or humiliation for doing so. This leads to a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability, which is crucial in today's rapidly evolving business landscape.
Third of all, psychological safety enhances team dynamics and collaboration. In psychologically safe teams, individuals trust one another and are more willing to collaborate effectively. They are open to giving and receiving constructive feedback, which leads to better teamwork and ultimately, improved overall performance. When team members feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to contribute their unique skills and perspectives, leading to well-rounded decision-making and problem-solving processes.
Fostering psychological safety in the workplace is not just a nice-to-have; it's a fundamental component of a successful and thriving organization. It contributes to employee well-being, drives innovation, and enhances teamwork and collaboration. Leaders who prioritize psychological safety create an environment where individuals can flourish, ultimately benefiting both the workforce and the bottom line.
(Head)Space
by Roman
Fantasy Football
It’s that time of year again. The National Football League (NFL) season starts next week which means that Sundays are booked to watch football until February.
Fantasy football has transformed the way sports enthusiasts engage with the NFL and, increasingly, other professional sports leagues. Participants, known as fantasy managers, assemble their virtual dream teams by drafting real NFL players and strategically managing them throughout the season. With each player earning points based on their real-life performance on the field, fantasy football combines elements of strategy, statistics, and camaraderie as friends compete against each other to prove their superiority. Participants usually play in weekly 1-on-1 matchups against each other. Along with earning bragging rights if you win the league, this hobby can earn you money depending on if your league has a monetary buy-in to play.
I spend a significant amount of time in July and August doing my research on players and teams prior to the fantasy drafts in late August or early September. It’s a fun hobby to do with the boys as we get to trash talk each other regarding our team selection, roster moves, and season performance. It also makes us more invested in watching the games as we have players in them, and can benefit from seeing their utilization and skills.
Another thing to look forward to is seeing who ends up coming last. League’s often have a punishment for the loser such as doing a polar bear plunge, running a beer mile, and having to stay at the Waffle House for 24 hours less 1 hour for every pancake that you eat. The punishments can get pretty silly and ridiculous…
All in all, it’s a fun way to interact with your friends while enjoying a sport that you all love.
Company of the Week
Bear Flag Robotics
Bear Flag Robotics is a YCombinator backed startup developing autonomous driving technology for farm tractors. By equipping tractors and implements with technology, Bear Flag allows growers to automate and optimize many of their most common tasks. This addresses the farm labor shortage while removing workers from hazardous conditions. Additionally, Bear Flag provides growers with analytics that help them garner actionable insights about their crops and operations.
Written by: Vlad Estoup, Keyann Al-Kheder, and Roman Kuittinen-Dhaoui