blog

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.

Read More

Steps to Running an Effective Book Club

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 02-16-22

A long time ago I was running an off-shift in operations. Late at night, we didn’t have any resources coming to train the team, and so if we wanted to learn, we were on our own. We began reading and applying books, beginning with two books from Kiyoshi Suzuki, The

Read More

Integrating the Voice of Many Coaches

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 02-03-22

Most people get coaching from multiple people, whether it be on their work, on their career, or just within problem-solving. How do you decide which coach to listen to? Well, that’s the wrong question, and in this video, I explain why. Watch here: https://youtu.be/B5PpWaVX9vs  

Read More

Should Your Lean Journey Include Certification?

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 01-27-22

This article was originally published in March 2021.    I’ve been asked to help dozens of clients with their lean certification plans at some point in my engagement. How should we design our lean certification program? This is often the question presented to me. Before you get to design, you

Read More

What Refereeing Has Taught Me

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 01-26-22

Those who know my teaching and coaching also know that I love to draw examples from my long tenure as a soccer coach. First, the examples are very relatable even if you aren’t a fan of soccer. Second, I am a fan of soccer, having been involved at some level

Read More

Dealing with Resistance to Being Coached

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 12-16-21

I coach coaches. That’s obviously the only thing that I do, but I spend a significant portion of my time coaching people who are trying to coach others. One of the most common questions I receive in this domain is… What do we do when someone is resistant to coaching?

Read More

Your Legacy Is Day n+1

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 12-08-21

Whether you are providing a service to a client, or operating as a leader in an organization, how do you think about what you want to accomplish? I propose the most useful framing is to think about day n+1. In other words, what is there the day after you depart,

Read More

Learners Operate in “Perpetual Beta”

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 11-24-21

The very first problem-solving behavior I explore in People Solve Problems is to Learn Deliberately (Chapter 9). Learning is more than just a skill, just as problem-solving is more than just a tool. Learning deliberately is a mindset and behavior. One way to describe this is to hold our assumptions

Read More

Lean Whiskey Episode #24

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 02-05-21

Episode 24: “Homemade whiskey cream and vaccination (not to be mixed up)” In Episode 24, Mark and Jamie return to a familiar format, just the two of them chatting over some whiskey. In this episode, they decide to make homemade whiskey cream (more popularly known as Irish cream or just

Read More

Is Digital Transformation about Adoption or Innovation?

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 01-19-21

Digital transformation is a popular phrase in business today. The pandemic has created a massive shift to work from home, remote work, online ordering, and other digital transformation efforts. It has been a frequent topic in strategy forums, webinars, C-suites, and more. There is no question that we are experiencing

Read More