AZCOMP Technologies IT January 2019

MICHAEL BUNGAY STANIER’S ‘THE COACHING HABIT’ Turns Bosses Into Leaders Ember mugs were named a Time magazine “Invention of the Year” in 2017, and it’s not hard to see why. They’re elegantly designed and offer an easy solution to an all-too-common problem. If you’re the type of person who can’t start their day without a warm cup of coffee or tea, you’ll be an Ember convert from the first sip. EMBER SMART MUGS Enjoying a hot beverage is an essential part of many people’s mornings, but it’s also something of a guessing game. Take your first sip too early, and you’ll end up with a burnt tongue. Wait too long, and your drink will be tepid and unenjoyable. With Ember smart mugs, you’ll never struggle to find the perfect middle ground because your mug will find it for you. Ember mugs allow you to precisely control the temperature of your beverage using an app on your phone. The ceramic models use a charging stand, cleverly shaped to look like a saucer, to regulate heat and alert you when the liquid is at your preferred temperature. They’ll also warn you when a beverage poured into the mug is too hot. The travel models use the same app, but the charging unit is integrated into the mug and includes an LED thermometer display. Keep Your Beverage at the Ideal Temperature

Over the past decade or so, the number of people developing a passion for sophisticated home cooking has exploded. Plenty of companies are trying to take advantage of this culinarily curious populace by producing an array of kitchen gadgets. The problem is most of these tools are useful for one or two tasks and spend most of their time gathering dust. Eunice Byun and David Nguyen, passionate home cooks themselves, grew tired of cluttered drawers and cabinets. Their direct-to-consumer kitchen supply company, Material Kitchen, stands in direct opposition to the one-trick ponies made by so many of their competitors. “We don’t feel pressure to keep selling customers more and more products,” says Byun. “We’d rather they own a few Material products that they really need and love.” Material’s signature offerings are nine- and six-piece sets called the Iconics and the Fundamentals, respectively. Each includes only versatile, everyday tools like spatulas, tongs, and chef’s knives. Material also sells some of their items individually, in the event you are looking for just one item. Home cooks struggling to decide between cheap, off-the- shelf sets from big-box retailers and professional-grade, insanely expensive alternatives now have a third option. If you’re the type of cook who favors practicality, Material Kitchen can help you whittle down your culinary arsenal to only the most useful weapons. BY OFFERING LESS, NOT MORE DECLUTTERED AN INDUSTRY HOW MATERIAL KITCHEN

Early in “The Coaching Habit,” Michael Bungay Stanier succinctly lays out the premise of his investigation into leadership styles. “If this were a haiku rather than a book,” he writes, “it would read: Tell less and ask more. Your advice is not as good as you think it is.” Stanier believes that leaders, especially in business, have a lot to learn when it comes to coaching their staff. The biggest

problem, in his eyes, is that leaders don’t take the time to ask questions and learn from the answers provided by team members. Instead, they simply tell people what to do and expect them to do it. This method, which has little to do with coaching, creates animosity and limits the potential for employee growth. To help reverse this trend and give leaders actionable tips to improve their coaching, each of the book’s seven main chapters explores a type of question that fosters dialogue and builds relationships between managers and their subordinates. “The Coaching Habit” demonstrates a common problem and provides a framework to fix it. If you can’t remember the last time you asked a team member a meaningful question, you should pick up a copy ASAP.

(855) 556-4677 AZCOMP Technologies, Inc. www.azcompit.com • 3

Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog