Lean Coffee Talk (formerly known as Lean Whiskey)

In Season 2, Episode 5, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh are going back in time (apologies to Huey Lewis and the News) to the 1990s and examining companies that were iconic then and trying to find new ground today. But we start with coffee mugs - our most vintage mugs. A coffee mug can make coffee better, or ruin it, or bring back memories. The vessel may not be more important than what’s in it, but it’s up there. And this is our first, but perhaps not our last, Miss Piggy reference. Episode page with video and more Before we delve into AOL finally ending its dial-up service, we take a deep dive into Starbucks’ new CEO and his efforts to revive the brand. Both the substance and the approach to decision-making matter here. On the approach, making too many decisions at the top can undermine those you’re asking to make their decisions, but the right decisions in the right way can break things loose or shift your culture. However, this also raises the question of what Starbucks customers value and how to consistently deliver that value. There are many systematic barriers put in the way of baristas trying to deliver value. Will Starbucks and its CEO remove those barriers and find value? We will see (or at least their customers will). We wrap up sharing our experiences with jazz flutist Frank Wess and the new movie "Spinal Tap II." Links From the Show: MiiR carafeAmazonWSJ on Starbucks'their efforts to get baristas to smileAOL shuts down dial-upThe Machine That Changed The WorldMACI Improvement Nerds Podcast with MarkFrank Wess on SpotifySpinal Tap II: The End ContinuesLeanCoffeeTalk.comjflinch.com/leancoffeetalk Please review us and follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!

In Episode 4 (Season 2), Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh are joined by the hosts of the Just-in-Time Cafe podcast, Elisabeth Swan and Tracy O’Rourke. This is the second joint episode, the first being episode 45 of Lean Whiskey. In part, we celebrate the launch of Tracy and Elisabeth’s new book, the 2nd edition of "The Problem-Solver’s Toolkit," which we discuss on the show. We talk quite a bit about our respective daily routines, beginning with how coffee fits into our day. This includes peaceful time, walk time, time with family, and time for health. Coffee fits in many different ways. And once again, Jamie sounds like Paul Giamatti in the movie Sideways in his avoidance of Starbucks. We also share our personal routines that help us stay focused and productive. There are different flavors and tools, but there are definitely some common themes across the group that prioritize our calendars and our to-do priorities over our email inbox. Episode page with video and more In a meta discussion about podcasts during a podcast, we talk about the trend towards longer podcasts and video podcasts, as the NY Times covered. It is only a coincidence that this episode went a bit longer as well. We explore this trend, why it exists despite some contrary trends, and how we prefer consuming podcasts as well. We finish as always with our cultural shares, ranging from Charlie Brown to Brad Pitt.

In Season 2, Episode 3, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh both share specific episodes of their other podcasts. Jamie shares his People Solve Problems episode featuring Crayola CEO Pete Ruggiero, and Mark shares a repeat guest for My Favorite Mistake with NFL Players Association Dr. Thom Mayer to talk about the experiment of new kickoff formats and the impact (pun intended) on concussions. We then share our coffees, with the caffeine-laden Red Eye being the drink of choice, including Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell’s extreme coffee order. EPISODE PAGE They then jump into lean coffee discussion format covering a wide range of topics. We discuss why Americans aren’t filling the half-million manufacturing jobs already available, two new lean books on problem solving and hoshin kanri, and why it may be ok for it only to take 2 days to select Pope Leo XIV but five rounds of interviews to hire a remote worker (picking up on a popular meme). The discussion then turns to the MIT Sloan School of Management Work / 25 online conference, beginning with a bit of a rant about a poorly run event that wraps up in lessons of how to respond to customers when you do make mistakes. Then two speaker topics were explored from the conference, including Sharon Parker’s SMART model for how to prevent burnout in your employees, and then moving to Lynda Gratton’s presentation on the value of mastery in your career. The final segment of cultural shares includes two items to watch, featuring Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson in Friendship (in theaters now) and National Geographic’s Endurance about Sir Ernest Shackleton's journey on Disney Plus. We hope you enjoy the listen! Links From the Show: Crayola CEO Pete RuggieroNFL Player Association’s Dr. Thom MayerDan Campbell’s coffee ordermanufacturing job openingsThe Problem Solver’s Toolkit 2nd EditionManaging on Purpose: Using hoshin kanri to develop strategy, align teams, grow leaders, and innovate your enterprisethe difficulties in deciding between two optionsleveraging your superpowerSNL Roundball Rock sketchI Think You Should LeaveDetroitersmovie trailerLeanCoffeeTalk.comjflinch.com/leancoffeetalk

In Season 2, Episode 2, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh begin with Mark sharing about his Australia and New Zealand workshop tour with the Association for Manufacturing Excellence. Even koalas find their way into the conversation. Episode page with videos and more We then shift to our coffee selection of the day - pour overs. This old school method has found a resurgence not for being inexpensive but for giving you more control over the extraction process making it the best method for the best coffees. Jamie explains and demonstrates the process with enough details to get you going. We then get to our main topics, beginning with some interesting statistics. 80% of Americans believe we’d be better off with more people working in manufacturing, but 25% of them believe that they would be better off if they worked in manufacturing. Whether skilled trades or engineers, we discuss why jobs in manufacturing are still getting a bad wrap. Continuing with manufacturing, we discuss the possible defunding and impact of the Manufacturing Extension Partnerships, a nationwide network of support centers for small- and medium-sized manufacturing businesses, which gets a significant amount of their funding from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Boeing is announcing a new, or refreshed, culture in an effort to turn the company around from a seemingly never-ending parade of crisis issues over several years. Are declarations of values enough? Do they need to be better defined? How do you back them up? We discuss all of this, including a mention of Jamie’s video course on culture change. While discussing blue chip names, this is the 40th anniversary of New Coke, an introduction that was likely never needed. Was it a mistake, and how do you recover when the product and the brand is this iconic? We do not include a taste test of New Coke or Coke Classic. Links From the Show: Mark’s world tour explained by coffee expert James HoffmanChemex V60IndustryWeekManufacturing DiveOp-Ed by the Urban Manufacturing Allianceresetting their culturecourse on shaping cultureNew Coke was introducedMark’s take on the mistakeThe AmericasSea Lions of the GalapagosLeanCoffeeTalk.comjflinch.com/leancoffeetalk Please review us and follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!

We would have called this Episode 51 of the Lean Whiskey podcast with Jamie Flinchbaugh and Mark Graban. Episode page with video and more Lean Whiskey is transitioning to a new brand, Lean Coffee Talk, so stay tuned for more episodes from Mark and Jamie. We're also calling this Episode #1 of Season 2 of the podcast series. If you're subscribed, the podcast logo will change but the feed will continue as is. We are just as passionate about their coffee beverages as the whiskey. We’ll still talk about lean stuff, ranging from in-the-news to our own topics of choice. In this first installment, Mark and Jamie each have an espresso. Mark from an automated home machine and Jamie’s from a more manual process. In future episodes, we’ll likely get more into the process. In this episode, we begin exploring the challenges of supply chain risk and dealing with the disruptions of tariffs. Uncertainty is having a huge impact on the economy. We discuss the impact on coffee from Columbia, the Risk Index from the Center for Supply Chain Research at Lehigh, and even Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. We move on to discuss the changes being made at Starbucks. What allowed them to grow may not allow them to stay strong, but then again, there may be some subtle magic in those changes from free refills in store to having your name on your cup. We explore the deliberate breakup of Honeywell, following in the footsteps of GE. This helps make an organization more focused on customers, value delivery, and the needed operations to make it all work. Is this a trend? If so, there are several reasons we believe it's a favorable one. We close out the topics with Mark’s Toyota experience during a recent tour seeing examples of "raku", or devices that provide comfort or ease for team members. feature of Coffee Talkdrives up coffee pricesBen Stein on tariffsSupply Chain Risk IndexIndustryWeek articlein-store free refillswrites names on cupsbreaks itself upis still acquiringwriting about "raku"LeanCoffeeTalk.comjflinch.com/leancoffeetalk

Episode page It's Episode 50 of the Lean Whiskey podcast with Jamie Flinchbaugh and Mark Graban! tl;dr: Lean Whiskey will transition to a new brand Lean Coffee Talk, so stay tuned for more episodes from Mark and Jamie In their 50th and final episode of Lean Whiskey, hosts Mark and Jamie announce a significant transition, revealing that while this marks the end of “Lean Whiskey,” the podcast will continue under a new title called “Lean Coffee Talk.” The change is partially influenced by Jamie's lifestyle choices, which is reflected in their drink selections for this episode – both hosts opt for non-alcoholic spirit alternatives, with Jamie choosing Almave (co-founded by F1 legend Lewis Hamilton). Mark made a non-alcoholic Manhattan (with Bourbon alternative and a Sweet Vermouth substitute), but as he found it undrinkable, we'll spare you the brand name. The bulk of the episode focuses on the current state of the whiskey industry, which is experiencing its first significant downturn since 2002. Drawing from multiple sources, they discuss how the bourbon boom appears to be over, with distilleries facing waning demand and a supply glut. The situation is particularly stark in Kentucky, where 14.3 million barrels are aging at the start of 2024, representing approximately 2 billion bottles of whiskey. The hosts explore how this oversupply mirrors historical patterns, referencing the 1980s when 22 Scotch distilleries closed between 1980 and 1986 and bourbon sales plummeted 50 percent in the US. They also discuss how this situation exemplifies principles from The Beer Game, a famous MIT supply chain management simulation that Jamie has facilitated many times over 20 years (and Mark has played a few times). The episode concludes with details about the podcast's rebranding to “Lean Coffee Talk,” which will maintain the casual, conversational format while using a loose version of the Lean Coffee structure that has been part of many Lean Whiskey episodes. The new format pays homage to both the Lean Coffee methodology and the classic radio program “Car Talk,” with the hosts emphasizing that while the name and logo will change, the podcast will continue in the same feed, ensuring continuity for their listeners. Cheers! Links From the Show: Almave Wall Street JournalNew Wine Reviewbottle buying restrictionscyclical nature of the whisky marketMacNeil Lehrer Newshour in 1989Professor Nelson Repenning at MITorder stability in supply chainsLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey Please review us and follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!

It's Episode 49 of the Lean Whiskey podcast with Jamie Flinchbaugh and Mark Graban! Episode page with video and more Mark shares tales of his holiday / study tour trip to Japan. Since we start with the whisky (like scotch, note the lack of an ‘e’), and Mark’s opportunity to visit bottle shops, his favorite whisky bar, and even a whisky museum, along with the many samples he had a chance to try along the way. He brought one home, an Ichiro’s Malt Wine Wood Reserve, which he was able to find for a fair price (and also a ridiculous one), and it was the featured bottle for Mark’s pour. Jamie used Hibiki Japanese Harmony, a good entry-level Japanese blended whisky that is both easy to find and relatively affordable. Mark and Jamie then discussed the Japan Study Tour itself, organized by Katie Anderson. This included Isao Yoshino as a co-host and Toyota alum, and another Toyota retiree sharing his story as well. It included trips to Toyota suppliers and Japanese food manufacturers, including Ina Foods. There were many themes, including providing an environment where employees have the opportunity to speak up, the benefits of a long-term view including a 100-year calendar, and a focus on employee development as a primary goal. Mark also introduced a word he learned about similar to kaizen and kaikaku, and that word is kaiteki which means comfort for the employee. We also discuss the benefit of study tours in general, including Jamie’s long-ago effort to organize one for the continuous improvement team at DTE Energy. They finish by talking a bit about Thanksgiving, including how Lehigh University football won the Patriot League and went on to the FCS playoffs and also lost very heavily to Northwestern in basketball. I guess you can’t win them all. Happy Thanksgiving, and Cheers! Links From the Show: Hibiki Japanese HarmonyIchiro’s Malt Wine Wood Reserve Jiro’s Sushi Restaurant Japan Study TripLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey Please review us and follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!

In Episode 48 of the Lean Whiskey podcast, Jamie Flinchbaugh and Mark Graban begin by comparing two whiskeys from the same distillery. Episode page with video and more Mark selected Woodford Reserve, and had a pour of both the Double Oaked (which we both agree is underrated) and their Historic Barrel Entry, a nod to production methods in the past. Jamie selected Southern Distilling after a recent visit to North Carolina. He poured their heated bourbon, the Paragon Bottled-in-Bond, and their Double Rye, a surprisingly smooth drink at 95% rye. Mark and Jamie repeat their “lean coffee modified for whiskey-sipping speed” approach of covering multiple topics. All three topics were prompted by Wall Street Journal articles. The first was whether AI was overhyped. The article focused on the return on investment, but we spend more time on both the organizational and individual approach of experimentation and learning. We then explored the trend (although more anecdotal than a large data trend) of “unbossing”, which hopefully doesn’t become a new term. Individuals further into their career are wanting to give up managing people due to the burden and stress of the role. We explored a bit of “what is the problem we are trying to solve?” with exploration of spans and layers, too much bureaucracy, and just needing more focus on growing people. Finally, we tackled an increase in fatalities and injuries from failure to use proper lockout tagout procedures. These should be fundamental, habitually focused processes. Lack of training and lack of enforcement are some of the causes, and increased turnover throughout and past the pandemic is a contributing factor, as is a cultural focus on output over safety. We explore a bit of the history, importance, and some possible steps forward. We end by sharing what books we’ve been reading. A book and a glass of whiskey aren’t a bad combination. Cheers! Links From the Show: Paragon Bottled-in-BondDouble RyeHistoric Barrel EntryIs AI overhyped?The trend of ‘unbossing’Factory Workers Are Dying Because Machines Aren’t Being Turned OffIndia: A HistoryHomecoming: The Path to Prosperity in a Post-Global WorldThe Psychological Safety PlaybookMy Favorite MistakeLearning to Lead, Leading to LearnLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey Please review us and follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!

In Episode 47, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh attempt another experiment in format, covering a range of quick-hit topics in the news rather than a single deep dive. As always, we welcome feedback. Before we got to that, however, our whiskey theme was also new, or new to us: we each picked a whiskey we hadn’t tried before. Jamie’s pick was Four Walls Irish American Whiskey, a celebrity whiskey from a group of stars from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, including Rob McElhenney, who famously co-owns Wrexham AFC, a 3rd tier football club in the UK, along with Ryan Reynolds. Mark’s pick was inspired by his My Favorite Mistake podcast with the founder of Jeptha Creed with their Bloody Butcher’s Creed 4 Grain Bourbon Whiskey, made from Bloody Butcher red heirloom corn grown on their own farm. In the news, we covered four topics. First was Kentucky’s decision to decriminalize medical errors, which allows healthcare providers to focus on providing care the best method possible and not going to jail just for a mistake, lessons from the RaDonda Vaught case in Tennessee. Next, while not really news, we discussed Jamie’s Forbes article about Hanlon’s Razor, including what a razor is, what it has to do with the lean principle of Respect for People, and how it can help choose a more productive path of action. Third we explore the Labor Notes’ article declaring the end of lean production. Of course, we disagree, although both motivation and validly bad lean practices both contribute to their perspectives. Finally, we cover a Wall Street Journal article titled The Jiggle Is Up, about how companies are defeating attempts to manipulate work with mouse jigglers. There is so much wrong here, from culture to process to metrics, that we start to unpack. We finally end, with July being so hot seemingly everywhere, with our favorite summer refreshing non-whiskey cocktails. But, you’ll have to either listen to or skip to the end of hear our choices. Four Walls Irish American WhiskeyJeptha Creedfeaturing Jeptha Creed founderKentucky decriminalizes medical errorsmisunderstanding of leanHanlon’s Razor eliminating mouse jigglesLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey Please review us and follow!

In Episode 46, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh spend a lot of time talking about AI, but that still, as always, begins with the whiskey. Episode page We both asked ChatGPT to consider all our ingredients for making a whiskey-based cocktail, and to invent an original recipe. Jamie's is called The Bourbon Harmony, although there was a lot in there to try to reach harmony, and Mark's was called the Spiced Cherry Rye Cocktail. The verdict for both drinks was that they were good, but probably wouldn't be made a second time. We had slightly different tactics in prompting ChatGPT to generate our recipes, which we discussed. We then spent a little time recognizing the passing of Don Petersen, former CEO of Ford in the late 1980s. Peterson was very different from an automotive CEO at the time, disrupting many practices whose time had come. Most notably, he brought in Dr. Deming to help influence the transformation. The discussion then turned into a deeper dive into how a lean thinker might look at artificial intelligence, machine learning, and more. This explored governance of AI, having good standard work and workflow design around AI usage, lessons of effective delegation while treating AI like an employee, when to use it, and even a few tips and tricks along the way. We saved the discussion of whether AI will be the end of humanity for when we might have a stronger cocktail. Have AI design your new cocktail, make it yourself since AI can't do that, and sit down for this interesting discussion. Cheers, or in binary... 01100011 01101000 01100101 01100101 01110010 01110011 Links and Info From the Show: News ofMark's blog posreport YouTube videoAI causes job losshow AI changes jobsLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey Please review us and follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!

Episode page In Episode 45, Jamie Flinchbaugh and Mark Graban join the Just-in-Time Cafe team of Elisabeth Swan and Tracy O’Rourke as a special nod to their 100th Episode, while also having a chance to toast Mark’s accomplishment of 250 episodes of My Favorite Mistake podcast and 500 episodes of the Lean Blog Podcast. This episode blended the two formats a bit, but you can be sure whiskey was one of those elements that we retained. We each selected a cocktail to make. Jamie made his original recipe, the Black Forest Kiss. Since you can’t Google it, the recipe is 2 oz bourbon, ½ oz sweet vermouth, 1 oz Cherry Herring, 5 dashes chocolate bitters, and garnished with cherries. Mark made a Perfect Manhattan with walnut bitters. Elisabeth made Remember the Maine. Tracy was stuck with wine, but you’ll have to listen for the story as to why that was. We also checked in about the various books we’ve written, including Mark’s The Mistakes That Make Us, Jamie’s People Solve Problems, Elisabeth’s Picture Yourself a Leader, and the forthcoming 2nd edition from Tracy and Elisabeth of the Problem Solver’s Toolkit. We shared our Hot Apps personal choices, which included Trello, Kainexus, Asana, and the combination of Evernote and Scannable. In the episode you’ll hear how we utilize these apps. We then turned our attention to podcasting, sharing our origin stories, what we love about it, and some mistakes that we’ve learned from through the process. podcastpodcastpodcastpodcastbookbook bookLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey Please review us and follow! Notes for everyone on what’s below. Please add links for preferred website and books for the show notes (going both directions): https://www.jflinch.com/https://www.jflinch.com/people-solve-problems/https://www.jitcafe.com/https://elisabethswan.com/book/https://www.jitcafe.com/http://markgraban.com/ https://www.mistakesbook.com/

Episode page with video and more In Episode 44, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh get back together for this first episode of 2024. Since we’re not doing Dry January, we go right into the whiskey first by talking about old bottles, including one very old one found at auction. We then did our own comparison tasting, with Jamie trying two different age statements of Knob Creek bourbon and Mark trying two different expressions of Glen Scotia scotch from Campbeltown. Dry January is like a New Year’s Resolution that you don’t intend to keep past a month. We discuss New Year’s Resolutions and their reasons for failure. We relate all this to goals, hoshin kanri, SMART goals, systems, and small steps. So, if you’re still working on clarifying your goals or resolutions for the year, take a listen. Boeing’s recent troubles with an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX-9 door plug falling out mid-flight was also discussed, including Boeing’s resolution / commitment to add more inspectors to the process. Will more inspectors and more inspections make a difference? If not, what will make a difference? We may not know the final answer, but we break it all down for you in this discussion. We wrap things up with a little football talk, both the NFL and College. Cheers! sold at auctionKnob CreekGlen Scotiaabandoned New Year’s resolutionson goalsworking with goalsown updatesletter to the FAAwins the National ChampionshipLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey Please review us and follow!

Episode page with video and more In Episode 43 of the “Lean Whiskey” podcast, Jamie Flinchbaugh and Mark Graban begin by talking about each of our interviews regarding the new book by Steve Spear and Gene Kim, Wiring the Winning Organization. Mark interviewed Steve and Gene for the Lean Blog Interviews podcast, and Jamie interviewed Steve for a forthcoming episode of the People Solve Problems podcast. We then shifted our attention to celebrating 100 years of Suntory Distilling by each pouring different expressions from the Japanese side of the company, Hibiki and Yamazaki. We also discussed the Jim Beam side, its progression and integration into the Suntory ownership. We eventually jumped into our primary In the News segment discussing a detailed investigative journalism report from Reuters on the objectively poor safety record at SpaceX. The data is compelling, from a fatality to a coma, and eight amputations. But the safety rate is six times the industry average, coming in at 4.8 per 100 workers. Yes, space travel and doing anything breakthrough is inherently dangerous, but there's two arguments with this. First, the injuries are things like falling out of trucks and not related to launching a rocket. Second, there are numerous examples of doing inherently dangerous work with a great safety record. Alcoa, under the leadership of Paul O'Neill, is a great example of this, where not only is the work done safely, but with increasing profits along the way. We explore the importance of leadership — through policy to system to culture — in the outcomes of safety. Elon Musk, as the leader of SpaceX, has signaled in many ways that safety is secondary. This includes a distaste for safety yellow on aesthetic grounds to statements that workers are responsible for protecting themselves. Both SpaceX and Tesla have a tendency to withhold reporting required data to OSHA, which might not be visible to employees, but it likely is to management. We make clear that safety practice and culture is the responsibility of management. We wrap up this episode sharing fun facts about our hometowns, wishing everyone a happy holidays, and a final cheers to 2023! Links From the Show: episode 493 of the LeanBlog PodcastPeople Solve Problems PodcastWiring the Winning Organization100 years of Suntory DistillingMark's blogHibiki Japanese HarmonyYamazaki Distiller's Reserve NAS Japan ReleaseLegent Yamazaki Cask Finish BlendKaizen & Culture Clash Between Suntory & Jim Beam?safety at SpaceXCOSH's Dirty Dozenhere here Please review us and follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!

Episode page In Episode 42, Jamie Flinchbaugh visits Mark Graban in northern Kentucky and they get to record an episode in person. This was the origin of the podcast series — getting together in person, enjoying whiskey, and talking about Lean stuff. In the last episode, we did an experiment that was inconclusive — sometimes that's how it goes. We had moved the whiskey talk to the end of the episode, but since we had no firm evidence that it was better, we moved it back to the beginning. Since we were together, Jamie selected something from Mark's shelf, the Boone County Amburana Wood, as it isn't something you'd regularly find on the shelf. Mark had received a special package in the mail from the Jim Beam distillery — two different expressions of Little Book — and so he did a side-by-side comparison. They then discussed the GE Lean Mindset Event, held for employees, customers, and suppliers. The bulk of the speakers are available on a YouTube playlist. We primarily discussed the discussion between Jim Farley, CEO of Ford, and Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber. We also discussed the conversation with Patti Poppe, CEO of PG&E (the primary power utility in California if you don't recognize the name). We explored the key nuggets from those speakers. After the recording stopped, the conversation continued at the outstanding Prohibition Bourbon Bar in Newport, Kentucky, ranked as one of America's Best Bourbon Bars by The Bourbon Review (that's where the photo was taken… and yes, they allowed us behind the bar). Links From the Show: Boone CountyLittle BookFreddie NoeThe playlistMark's podcast episodeCalifornia BurningProhibition Bar The Bourbon ReviewLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey Please review us and follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!

Episode link with video and more In Episode 41, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh try a couple experiments, in the spirit of continuous improvement. You’ll first notice that we moved the whiskey talk to the end. The hypothesis here is that some people don’t want to hear the whiskey talk, so they can just exit the podcast when we finish the lean talk. We also used a different platform for recording, so it may affect your listening or viewing experience. We would really appreciate any feedback at all on these experiments. In lean talk, we explore the question of whether lean can and should be forced. We examine this from different angles, including terms like accountability and quotas. We even evoke the words of Dr. Deming in the process. We quote Toyota’s Jamie Bonini who said “if the employees are upset by it, it’s not really TPS.” We explore 5S, audits, incentives, and more. We finally get around to talking about the whiskey that we were sipping on during the episode. After all, this is kinda the point. For this episode’s theme, we are pulling the bottle off our shelf that is the least expensive, but still worth sipping on its own. Mark is drinking Benchmark, and Jamie went with Rebel. Cheers! The Mistakes That Make UsWestern and Southern OpenThe Michigan Lean ConsortiumOffice 5S videoRebel BourbonBenchmark BourbonLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey Please review us and follow!

Episode page with video and more In Episode 40, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh get back together after their in-person visit where they enjoyed the origins of this podcast: talking about lean stuff while enjoying some whiskey. We get to celebrate the launch of Mark’s new book, The Mistakes That Make Us, as well as Jamie’s new podcast titled People Solve Problems. We recap our in-person visit and some of the great whiskey we were able to try. And we taste one of the expressions we were able to try at the distillery, New Riff’s Straight Bottled-in-Bond Malted Rye. We then pivoted to talking about pivots, starting with the example of how Instagram originally started as Burbn check-in app to share your drinking experiences with others. It then pivoted to photo sharing, and the rest is history. We compare and contrast other pivots, including Play-Doh, the pacemaker, Slack and Twitter, 3M Post-its, and a purple dye found when trying to cure malaria. We share some lessons from each of our books about how to enable and / or embrace the pivot when the opportunity presents itself. We wrap up talking a bit about the book writing process, and the joys and pains that accompany it. Cheers! The Mistakes That Make Usnew podcast, People Solve Problemsanalog in-person Lean WhiskeyRevival Vintage Bottle ShopProhibition Bourbon BarNew Riff DistillingNew Riff Kentucky Straight Bottled-in-Bond Malted Rye Whiskey pivoted from BurbnMark hereJamie hereMaking purple dyeHold on Loosely by 38 SpecialLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey Please review us and follow!

Episode page with links, video, and more In Episode 39, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh toast the completion of Mark's new book, The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation (coming soon!). We also acknowledge Jamie's forthcoming podcast based on the book People Solve Problems. That's already plenty to cover before we even get into our whiskey. Our whiskey theme was sourced juice, or essentially whiskey producers that buy whiskey from other distillers. This practice takes many different forms. Jamie is drinking Holla Bourbon Whiskey, a 4 year wheated bourbon, while Mark is drinking The Senator Straight Rye Whiskey sourced from MGP. Holla Spirits is primarily a vodka company with an incredibly wide range of infused vodkas, from jalapeno to pickle to cotton candy. They use higher grade ethanol from either corn or cane. Our lean topic was CEOs who “go to the gemba,” specifically referencing recent Wall Street Journal articles featuring Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi driving an Uber and Starbucks brand-new CEO Laxman Narasimhan being trained and working as a barista. While there is a lot these articles don't tell you, we have to draw some conclusions about whether these efforts are well-intentioned or not. We didn't like the barista with gold cufflinks or the Uber driver ignoring important calls from his General Counsel. We did conclude that there are three dimensions to this practice to get right, and all three must be right for this practice to be worth the effort. First, you have to get the intention correct. Second, you must execute it with the right spirit and curiosity. Third, you have to do the right things with what you learn, not just fixing specific problems but challenging business model assumptions or improving major systems of how the company works. Links From the Show: book pageblog, Mark's recent blog postcovering sourced whiskeycovering sourced whiskeyHolla SpiritsSouthern Distilling CompanyCloonaughill Celtic MaltsThe Senator Straight Rye WhiskeyMGP Wall Street JournalBusiness InsiderInside HookWall Street JournalJamie's past blogMark's past blogCulture by DesignStuff You Should KnowLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey Please review us and follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!

Episode page with video and more What do you do when you are chosen as Jim Murray’s US Micro Whiskey of the Year? You pop in to join Mark and Jamie on Lean Whiskey to talk about it. At least that’s what our friend David Meier of Glenns Creek Distilling did in Episode 38. While we were able to drink, and celebrate, the success of OCD #5, we also explored David’s continued learning, problem solving, and improvement of whiskey production. We also learned that he was featured on an episode of Moonshiners: American Spirit, more of a documentary exploring the production of American spirits than the original show. After David departs, Mark and Jamie discuss a recent report featured on NBC outlining that 1 in 4 hospital visits result in adverse events. This comes from a recent study on patient safety published in the New England Journal of Medicine. We break down the statistics, explore the real meaning behind those numbers, and discuss the causes and contributing factors. Throughout the dialogue we cover process improvement, problem solving, near misses, organizational learning, and psychological safety. We also spend time looking at Dr. Don Berwick’s editorial about the study, and at least try to summarize his contributions to patient safety. Mark and Jamie wrap up the first episode of 2023 talking about books. We hope everyone has a wonderful 2023. Happy New Year, and Cheers! US Micro Whiskey of the YearJim Murray’s Whisky Bible websiteMoonshiners: American SpiritGlenn’s Creek DistillingNBC’s reportingpublished studyDon Berwick’s CommentaryUpcoming webinar hosted by Mark on the proposed National Patient Safety BoardThe Economist’s reportingIkigaiIf I Betray These Words: Moral Injury in Medicine and Why It's So Hard for Clinicians to Put Patients FirstLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey Please review us and follow!

Mark Graban & Jamie Flinchbaugh Alternative title: “I’ll have a half-caff no-whip soy-milk chestnut praline latte… to-go” Episode page with video and links In Episode 37, we wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays with some new (to us) holiday cocktails. Mark tries the Bourbon Flip, and Jamie makes a Hot Buttered Bourbon. Neither will likely be in our regular rotation of cocktails, but they suit the “spirit” of the holiday season and might be a nice treat to make for guests. Your hosts explore the possible reinvention of Starbucks, which began with the return of CEO Howard Schultz. The stores have faced numerous pressures…increasing volume, increasing complexity, and growing barista dissatisfaction. Can these challenges be overcome by lean applied at the store level, or are more structural changes and innovations needed to get the job done? We explore a recent Wall Street Journal article about Starbucks' transformation and walk back to the beginnings of their lean journey over 10 years ago. Some of the problem statements examined: SKU proliferation, new blenders, and store layouts. We may start seeing a brand new layout for Starbucks stores, although the promised improves do not appear to be imminent. The hosts finish by exploring gift giving in the whiskey, and wine, genre, including a book recommendation from Mark on the history of the prohibition era in the US. Links From the Show: Stiles AssociatesGlenn's Creek DistillingGeorgetown, Kentucky planthot buttered bourbon recipeMellow CornBourbon FlipBenchmark BondedBruichladdich Port Charlotte 10 Heavily PeatedStarbucks is Rethinking Almost Everything about it for LEI3-day strikeSteady WorkLast CallLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey

In Episode 36, Jamie Flinchbaugh is joined by Chris Kauzmann, an Adjunct Faculty and Innovator in Residence at Lehigh University. Chris, a self-described “bottom shelf” whiskey drinker, joins Jamie to sample some Nikka Coffee Malt Whiskey and Blue Run High Rye Bourbon. We explore design thinking, which is both distinct from lean but also inherently consistent. The terminology is often quite different, but the essence of the work is very similar. Removing our biases and gaining insight through genuine exploration, whether to develop a business idea or improve a process or anything else, is one such example. Along the way, we cover many aspects of our shared experiences…the student entrepreneurs of Lehigh University that Chris supports and teaches full time and Jamie occasionally shows up to make a contribution. We close by deciding which building on Lehigh University's beautiful campus we would most want to convert into a whiskey bar, although we are quite certain that no one will allow us to do this. Links From the Show: on LinkedInOld CrowNikka Coffey Malt WhiskeyBlue RunBaker InstituteWith Meraki CoMake A Change WorldSungai WatchPracticing LeanLeanWhiskey.comleanblog.org/leanwhiskeyjflinch.com/leanwhiskey