Executives at Northstar Manufacturing say they remain confident in their decision to retain an external consulting firm to improve operational efficiency, despite the fact that six months into the engagement, the most measurable outcome has been a dramatic increase in the number of meetings required to discuss efficiency.
The firm, ClarityEdge Consulting, was brought on earlier this year following internal concerns that projects were taking too long, meetings were too frequent, and employees were spending an increasing amount of time explaining what they were working on instead of working.
Leadership described the engagement as “transformational.”
Employees describe it as “a full-time calendar event.”
A Strategic Investment
Northstar Manufacturing, a mid-sized regional employer specializing in industrial components, announced the consulting engagement in January as part of what leadership called a “renewed commitment to operational excellence.”
In a company-wide email, executives explained that ClarityEdge would help “identify inefficiencies, streamline workflows, and unlock latent productivity.”
“Sometimes you need an outside perspective,” said COO Linda Carver. “Someone who isn’t bogged down in how things have always been done.”
That perspective arrived two weeks later in the form of three consultants, each armed with laptops, notebooks, and a series of introductory meetings.
Phase One: Discovery
According to internal documents, ClarityEdge’s initial phase focused on “discovery,” a process that involved meeting with nearly every department to understand existing workflows.
Employees say these meetings were extensive.
“They wanted to know everything,” said one engineer. “What we do, how we do it, why we do it, and how we feel about doing it.”
Each discovery session lasted approximately 90 minutes and was followed by a summary email and a request to schedule a follow-up.
“By the third meeting, we were explaining the same things again,” the engineer said. “But in different words.”
Consultants assured staff this repetition was intentional.
“It helps us triangulate,” one consultant reportedly said.
Mapping the Process
Once discovery was complete, ClarityEdge moved into what it called the “process-mapping phase.”
Employees were invited to a series of workshops designed to visualize workflows using color-coded diagrams and digital whiteboards.
“These were two-hour meetings,” said one project manager. “Sometimes three.”
During the workshops, consultants facilitated discussions about bottlenecks, redundancies, and opportunities for alignment.
“We talked a lot about pain points,” the project manager said. “Mostly the pain point was being in the room.”
The output of these sessions was a growing collection of flowcharts depicting processes employees said they already understood.
“It was our jobs,” said one employee. “We were explaining our jobs.”
Meetings About Meetings
As the engagement progressed, employees noticed an increase in what they described as “meta-meetings.”
“There were meetings to prepare for meetings,” said one staff member. “And meetings to debrief the meetings we’d just had.”
Calendars filled quickly.
“I used to have gaps in my day,” said another employee. “Now everything is a meeting.”
Several employees said they began scheduling work around meetings rather than the other way around.
“You’d block time to actually do something,” one employee said. “Then it would get eaten by another meeting about efficiency.”
Leadership Remains Optimistic
Despite the mounting calendar congestion, Northstar leadership says the consulting engagement is progressing as planned.
“Change takes time,” said Carver. “You can’t rush transformation.”
Carver emphasized that ClarityEdge’s approach was methodical and data-driven.
“They’re helping us see things we couldn’t see before,” she said.
When asked what specific efficiencies had been realized so far, Carver cited “greater awareness.”
“People are thinking differently about how they use their time,” she said.
Employees agree.
“I think about my time constantly now,” said one. “Because it’s all scheduled.”
The Framework Phase
By late spring, ClarityEdge introduced what it described as a proprietary efficiency framework.
Employees were invited to a presentation unveiling the framework, which consultants said would serve as the foundation for future improvements.
The framework consisted of several interlocking pillars, each labeled with a single word such as “Focus,” “Flow,” and “Execution.”
“What do those mean?” one employee asked during the presentation.
“That’s what we’re here to explore,” a consultant replied.
Action Items, Pending
Following the framework rollout, employees were assigned action items, most of which involved providing feedback on the framework itself.
“There were surveys,” said one employee. “Lots of surveys.”
The surveys asked employees to rate statements like:
- “I feel empowered to work efficiently.”
- “I understand how my role contributes to organizational flow.”
- “I have sufficient clarity around expectations.”
Employees say the surveys took longer to complete than many of their actual tasks.
“I spent an hour answering questions about efficiency,” one employee said. “Then I stayed late to finish my work.”
The Cost of Efficiency
While Northstar has not disclosed the cost of the consulting engagement, several employees said it was substantial.
“They’re here all the time,” said one employee. “That can’t be cheap.”
Employees also noted that while leadership emphasized efficiency, no additional staff were hired to offset the time spent in meetings.
“Productivity expectations stayed the same,” said one employee. “The meetings were just added on top.”
Several employees said they had quietly stopped attending optional meetings to preserve time for actual work.
“I only go to the mandatory ones now,” said one. “There are still a lot.”
Experts See a Pattern
Management experts say Northstar’s experience is not unusual.
“Consulting engagements often prioritize process over outcomes, especially early on,” said Dr. Michael O’Connell, who studies organizational behavior.
O’Connell said meetings can become a proxy for progress.
“They create the appearance of activity,” he said. “But activity isn’t the same as effectiveness.”
Asked whether consultants sometimes contribute to inefficiency, O’Connell said it happens.
“There’s an incentive to extend the engagement,” he said. “That often means more meetings.”
Looking Ahead
ClarityEdge’s contract with Northstar is scheduled to run through the end of the year, with the possibility of extension.
In a statement, the firm said it was “pleased with the collaboration” and “excited about the momentum being built.”
Employees say they’re waiting to see results.
“I believe in efficiency,” said one employee. “I just don’t think I should have to schedule a meeting to find it.”
A Calendar Full, A Question Open
As summer approaches, employees say their calendars remain booked weeks in advance.
The original concern that prompted the consulting engagement — that work was taking too long — remains unresolved.
“We’re definitely busy,” said one employee. “I’m just not sure we’re efficient.”
Editor’s Note
Northstar Manufacturing and ClarityEdge Consulting declined to provide documentation outlining specific efficiency gains achieved to date.
