Stuart Baum – LargerPond Marketing:
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Steve and Ed a number of times.
“I’ve seen them deliver complex, multi-layered solutions in a straightforward and executable manner … getting right to the heart of the issue. I’ve also seen them provide ‘tough love’ to managers in a way that was equally positive and constructive. It was construed as common-sense advice from a friend, instead of condescension from a consultant.
“One moment that made me really appreciate how different ClearCut is from your normal management consultancy was when I saw them crack a vision statement, including action items for achieving it, in a group setting. I expected them to barely scratch the surface during the allotted time, but they not only completed the vision statement, they also engaged all members of the client’s team in the process without putting anyone on the spot and helped each of the team members develop a next step for their own staffs.
“I could see the team’s energy and motivation levels rising during the session. Most importantly, they adeptly partnered with the team’s leader to drive the exercise (instead of simply taking control as most other consultants do) and it was obvious that the team’s perception of the director’s vision and leadership skills increased during that short time. ClearCut turned what could have been a laborious ‘deliverable’ into a fun & team-building exercise.”
Terry McGuffage – Director Facilities 2011, Chicago Public Schools (CPS):
“I was introduced to ClearCut Advisers, and more specifically Steve Bowsher, while working at CPS in 2011 as the Director of Facilities. At that time, CPS was in the midst of change forced upon the organization because of budget pressures, previous shortsighted management, and a culture of relaxation. After a handful of introductory meetings with my staff, and myself Steve got right to work on how he could make our department better. It was clear to me after only a few meetings that this work was going to be unlike any I had undertaken with a consultant before; the correct terminology really is “advisor”, and a trusted one at that. ”
“Steve, along with his partner Ed Griffin, introduced topics such as process improvement, continuous improvement, reliability, performance management and cost reduction to our team. This was an entirely new way of looking at our work, one that forced us to be critical about all our processes, and demanded accountability from top-level management all the way to individual maintenance personnel. They worked through our objectives individually with me, in a group with my key direct reports, and with my entire staff both as a group and individually. They scheduled time to work with building maintenance personnel when we initially rolled out a performance management program, so that the program was communicated clearly and so that management personnel could be trained on communication techniques within a union environment. The results were truly astounding – immediate, substantial cost reductions; measurable standards of performance at each level of the department; and a new mindset to deliver quality, reliable service to schools. None of this would have been possible except for the vast breadth of experience, knowledge, and procedures brought to us by ClearCut Advisors.”
“The methods Steve and Ed used with my team were unique. It was very “hands on”, and I never felt like I was alone during any of our work together. They had their own set of processes and techniques that allowed them to integrate themselves within our group, to effectively become part of the collective team. I think this is why their work was so successful in delivering on their stated objectives. If a problem arose during the course of our efforts, they had a process in place to work as a team to develop solutions. At all times, the work they provided gave us very specific results and actions, but it also gave us a blueprint on how to conduct that work ourselves in the future; the training was a consistent component of their services.”
Bob Weidner – President & CEO, Metals Service Center Institute
“I have known and worked with Clear Cut Advisors for years . During this time I have found them to be:”
- Strategic in their approach to problem solving,
- Disciplined in their thought processes, approach, and methodology in seeking solutions to the assigned work,
- Extremely knowledgeable about our industry, yet expansive in their experiences beyond metals and manufacturing,
- Very capable/competent of facilitating meaningful and constructive discourse within my management team,
- Focused on the underlying critical elements of the situation/opportunity and able to quickly recognize the essence of the root cause vs. bogged down in the quagmire of conventional wisdom/thinking, and
- An incredibly professional team who are also fun to work with.
“I would highly recommend Clear Cut as a business partner to any organization who is looking to redefine or refine their business model and thinking.”