Finishing 2020 with Kentucky Bourbon, Eggnog, and Kata Talk

Mark Graban, Jamie Flinchbaugh, and Deondra Wardelle

https://www.leanblog.org/whiskey23 for show notes and links

In Episode 23, Mark and Jamie return to finish out 2020, this time joined by Kentucky native Deondra Wardelle, so naturally Kentucky bourbon is our whiskey category of choice. Bourbons selected include Brough Brothers, Willett, and Barton 1792. After introducing Deondra to our listeners, we take a moment to toast the life of Norman Bodek, who passed away last week at the age of 88. 

After briefly debating whether peppermint should ever be added to beer, even if it is the holidays, we get on with our bourbon selections. We return at the end of the episode to talk about other drinks such as Irish (or whiskey) cream, wine, cocktails, and eggnog. A tempting challenge was put forth for Mark and Jamie to make their own whiskey cream at home - perhaps a future episode event. 

The bulk of the episode we get into Deondra's favorite topic, Toyota Kata, teed up by a Lean Enterprise Institute article. The article prompts us to talk about the underlying nature of learning in lean, problem solving, kata, and coaching. We aren't convinced that you need a new kata to add to the improvement and coaching kata, but instead propose coaching and behavior adjustments to make sure we don't lose sight of the purpose, which is to learn. 

So, give us a listen, and let us know what you think, about learning, or about whiskey. We wish everyone a safe, healthy, and happy holidays to wrap up 2020, and we will see you again in 2021. Cheers! 

Links:

• Our guest Deondra Wardelle
• Deondra's kata presentation for Lean Frontiers
• Deondra's upcoming Lean Frontiers webinar: Strategic Planning Workshop 2021: Planning Through a Continuous Improvement Lens, Thursday, 1/21, 12 noon EST
• #RootCauseRacism and www.rootcauseracism.com 
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Webinar, "The Lean Journey to Equity for All" Thursday, 1/28 @ 1pm EST
• Mark's tribute to Norm Bodek who recently passed away
• Lexington Brewing's Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Peppermint Porter  
• Deondra's Brough Brothers bourbon from Louisville, KY
• Jamie's Willett Pot Still Reserve bourbon 
• Mark's Barton 1792 Full Proof bourbon
  • Story about the warehouse / rickhouse collapse
• The LEI article on kata ("Improve Continuously by Mastering the Lean Kata")
• Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn book mentioned on Isao Yashino 
• Henri Poincare quote on intuition 
• Mark's 2011 April Fool's Joke (the A3 "app") 
• Five Farms Irish Cream
• Cooper's Hawk Sweet Red wine