Blog

Lean Whiskey Episode 38

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 01-20-23

Episode 38: “A Toast to the U.S. Micro Whiskey of the Year, and the Need to Recommit to Patient Safety”  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

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Lean Whiskey Episode 37

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 12-22-22

Episode 37: “I’ll have a half-caff no-whip soy-milk chestnut praline latte…to-go” 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

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Lean Whiskey Episode 36

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 12-09-22

Episode 36: “Guest Chris Kauzmann, and Design Thinking’s Relationship to Lean Thinking”  In Episode 36, Jamie Flinchbaugh is joined by Chris Kauzmann, 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

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Lean Whiskey Episode 35

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 10-14-22

Episode 35: “We’re tired, but not tired of whiskey. A Gemba walk will pick us up.”    In Episode 35, Mark is recently back from his Scotland Gemba visit. He isn’t tired from jet lag, or from whiskey, but nevertheless, Mark and Jamie both end up complaining about being tired.

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How To Do an Effective Personal Work Retreat

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 09-01-22

No matter what your profession, everyone should consider at some point in time a personal work retreat. For me, it is usually about research and writing. Certainly, almost all of People Solve Problems was written across multiple retreats up to the mountains. Bill Gates would take his “think weeks” away

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Lean Whiskey Episode 34

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 07-29-22

Episode 34: “Crazy Ideas, From Shipping Flowers to Crab Whiskey” In Episode 34, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh begin by belatedly celebrating the 3rd birthday of Lean Whiskey. No, this wasn’t a pandemic-launched podcast, although if we hadn’t started it yet it probably would have become one. We also learn

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The Important Gap Between Observation and Perception

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 07-26-22

Whether in problem-solving, or broad lean behaviors, or seeing the customer as an entrepreneur, there is much articulated about the idea of going to see for yourself. There are many terms for it, such as “direct observation” that we articulated in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean, or Gemba commonly used

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Overdesign, Overprocessing, and Overly-Complex

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 07-19-22

It’s too complicated. I don’t understand. It doesn’t work. It’s not for me.  Whether launching a new product, or a new company initiative, these might be phrases that you’ve heard. It stems from overdesigning the solution. It shows up as the waste of over-processing, doing more than your customer requires

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Creativity, Problem Breakdown, and Problems Such As Eliminating Approvals

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 06-22-22

There are many problems where we struggle with things such as creativity and breaking down the problem. One such problem that is frequently voiced is the elimination of bureaucracy. You cannot just eliminate bureaucracy. What can you do? You can break down the problem, understand the elements and contributing factors.

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Hoping To Have a Good Day? A Good Week? Year? Career?

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 06-17-22

How you start does matter, because it sets up momentum and other psychological factors to carry that momentum forward, as is also true in the reverse where a bad start can sabotage your remaining efforts. Years ago, The Onion showed a light on this fact with this hilarious story that

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