Formerly known as “Lean Whiskey.”
Mark and Jamie Answer Listener Questions
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In Season 2, Episode 6, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh bring “lean coffee” to Lean Coffee Talk, kind of.
But first, we haven't caught up in a while, so we recap various items like Christmas, college football playoffs, and the other football played in England. They discussed coffee, specifically the most important element of coffee…the roasted beans! Yes, everything else does matter, but fresh beans are vital. Both of them buy local and share one of their favorite spots each.
Mark and Jamie then took audience questions, although not live. Listeners had the opportunity to submit questions (and might win a free Lean Coffee Talk mug in the process) that we would answer on the show, and that form is still active so you can submit questions for future episodes. We discuss higher education, psychological safety, getting lean going in your department when the company might not be supportive, and how to push back or redirect lean requirements that are misguided or misapplied. Balance was a strong theme in this discussion.
We close out with our typical cultural share. Jamie was building custom playlists on Spotify using ChatGPT. Mark watched Brandi Carlile's holiday streaming special from inside her own home with family and friends, and will see her in concert.
Links From the Show:
- Ask us a question for a future podcast episode. Submit questions here
- Laurie Olin In Italy book
- Mark's local Unataza Coffee
- Jamie's local Toasted and Roasted
- ChatGPT's History of Jazz playlist
- Brandi Carlile's streaming holiday special
- Podcast feed at LeanCoffeeTalk.com or jflinch.com/leancoffeetalk
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Lean Coffee Talk: Season 2, Episode 6
Hosts: Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh Date: January 2, 2026
In this episode, Mark and Jamie catch up on holiday activities, discuss the parallels between football systems and corporate design, and dive deep into listener questions regarding higher education, lean leadership, and navigating “optics-driven” improvement programs.
System Design in Football and Business
The conversation begins with a look at the “festive fixtures” of English football and the current state of American college football. Mark notes that the 12-team playoff system feels poorly designed rather than intentionally iterated. Specifically, the top four teams receive a “bye week,” which statistics suggest is actually a disadvantage due to the loss of rhythm–a classic example of a system failing to deliver its intended reward.
- The Lesson: Iteration is not an excuse for poor system design. Whether in sports or business, variables like scheduling and recovery must converge to support the players and the product.
Talent Development and the “Rookie” Coach
Mark highlights the story of Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, who achieved success as a head coach in a major conference later in his career. This raises a question for the corporate world: Do companies overlook experienced talent because they lack a specific title on their resume?
- Experience as a crucible: Jamie argues that coaching at lower levels allows leaders to experiment, fail, and develop their style away from intense scrutiny. Experience is not just what you have been through, but what you take from it.
The Coffee Corner: Beans and Roasting
For today's coffee topic, the focus shifts from equipment to the core ingredient: the beans.
- Freshness is King: You cannot make good coffee from bad beans. The most critical factor is the “roasted on” date; freshness matters more than artisan branding.
- Storage: Beans should ideally be consumed within a month of roasting. Use bags with one-way valves or vacuum containers to squeeze out air and extend shelf life.
- Local Recommendations: Mark is enjoying a Honduran blend from Unataza Coffee (roasted by Carabello Coffee in Northern Kentucky). Jamie is drinking a decaf roast from Toasted and Roasted in Bethlehem, PA
Q&A: Innovation in Higher Education
Listener Question: How do we cultivate scientific thinking and psychological safety in Higher Ed, where leadership is distributed and systems are rigid?
Mark and Jamie discuss the similarities between higher education and healthcare–both are complex systems with fragmented leadership.
- Behavior over Systems: While systemic constraints (like tenure or grant rules) exist, psychological safety is cultivated through leadership behavior. Leaders must model candor and reward transparency.+1
- Defining Boundaries: Safety does not mean a lack of structure. Leaders must define the strategy (the sandbox) so that experiments make directional sense.
Q&A: Balancing Coaching and Directing
Listener Question: In a small company initiating a Lean journey, how do you balance coaching, being direct, and getting quick results?
- Show the Journey: If you want your department to be an example for the rest of the company, you must document the “messy” parts of the journey, not just the final results.
- Targeted Coaching: You cannot coach everyone with equal intensity. Select key influencers to coach deeply, and they will help move the organization.
- The Role of Directing: It is acceptable to be directive about safety or non-negotiable standards. Balance is key–use direction for the “what” and coaching for the “how”.
Q&A: Navigating “Fake Lean” and Quotas
Listener Question: How should a team respond when leadership focuses on optics, such as mandating one improvement idea per quarter for a bonus?
- The Problem with Quotas: Mandates often lead to checking boxes rather than genuine engagement.
- Activation Energy: Jamie notes that quotas can occasionally be useful to provide “activation energy” to get people from zero to one improvement, breaking the initial fear barrier.
- Redirect, Don't Push Back: Direct pushback often creates enemies. Instead, try to “redirect” the energy. If the mandate is one idea, help the team make it ten, turning a compliance exercise into a genuine culture of improvement.
Cultural Shares
- Jamie: Using ChatGPT to generate custom music playlists for Spotify. It allows for specific parameter setting (e.g., “jazz similar to this artist but with a specific vibe”) to discover new music. His playlist:
- Mark: Watching Brandi Carlile's livestream Christmas special. Unlike polished arena shows, this performance was set in her log cabin with family, offering a charming, authentic, and “unscripted” experience that connected deeply with the audience.
A highlight from that special:
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If you’re working to build a culture where people feel safe to speak up, solve problems, and improve every day, I’d be glad to help. Let’s talk about how to strengthen Psychological Safety and Continuous Improvement in your organization.
