Formerly Lean Whiskey — Lean Coffee Talk is a practical podcast on Lean leadership, operational excellence, and organizational culture–hosted by Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh. Each episode delivers clear, thoughtful conversations that help executives, managers, and improvement leaders apply Lean thinking without jargon, hype, or complexity.
Practical Lean Leadership Conversations for Real Organizations
Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh share more than just their MIT degrees: they're authors, speakers, and trusted voices in the Lean community… plus they're both serious about their coffee.
Each episode offers insightful discussions on essential topics like operational excellence, leadership effectiveness, organizational culture, problem-solving strategies, innovation, and building a thriving Lean culture. Whether you're an experienced executive, an ambitious manager, or someone passionate about elevating organizational performance, Lean Coffee Talk provides practical wisdom you can apply directly to your workplace.
They bring expertise without the complexity – because Lean doesn't have to be rocket science. Their takes are bold, and their insights are fresh. Welcome to Lean Coffee Talk… Where Lean wisdom is brewed and served.
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Note: The first 50 episodes were done under the theme and name of “Lean Whiskey“
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Why Lean Coffee Talk Exists
Lean Coffee Talk was created for leaders who want better systems, better culture, and better results–without buzzwords or oversimplified advice. In each episode, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh explore real-world challenges in Lean leadership, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and organizational change, drawing on decades of experience across healthcare, manufacturing, government, and services.
The conversations go beyond tools and frameworks to focus on how leaders think, decide, and lead. Topics include psychological safety, problem-solving, system design, management behaviors, and what it really takes to sustain a Lean culture over time.
Whether you're an executive, manager, improvement leader, or practitioner, Lean Coffee Talk is designed to help you apply Lean thinking in practical, human ways–at work and beyond.
Browse the episodes above, subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, and come back often for new conversations on Lean leadership, culture, and continuous improvement.
