Tom Savard Unlocks Innovation Through Clarity and Purpose

By Robert White, Editor-In-Chief

In today’s business world, where speed and agility define the difference between success and stagnation, leaders are looking for new ways to drive results. Tom Savard, PhD, a seasoned product development executive and Six Sigma Master Black Belt, believes the answer lies not in more tools—but in more clarity.

With over 25 years of experience leading product development in industries ranging from aerospace to telecommunications, Savard has made it his mission to redefine how organizations unlock hidden value. Now, through his consulting practice and latest book The Clarity Cascade, Savard is helping companies turn chaos into innovation and hesitation into momentum.

“In every product development team, there’s a simple truth—what they’re really creating is know-how,” Savard explained. “When you reframe teams as know-how factories, you begin to understand how to optimize them for performance. That’s when value starts multiplying.”

Savard’s journey began in the trenches—leading complex development teams and applying Six Sigma principles to refine products and processes. But he soon realized that the conventional approach to Six Sigma was missing something vital: the human element of purpose and understanding.

“Traditional Six Sigma can sometimes push teams to over-engineer solutions to problems that don’t matter,” he said. “The key is prioritization—focusing on what really impacts performance and letting go of everything else.”

This insight laid the groundwork for The Clarity Cascade, where Savard introduces what he calls the “clarity mindset”—a framework of five practices that help leaders inject purpose, streamline decision-making, and empower teams to operate more effectively, even in uncertain environments.

“The clarity mindset starts with one question,” he noted. “Do your people understand what they’re building and why it matters? When they do, performance skyrockets.”

One of the most compelling case studies in the book involves a heart valve company facing an existential threat. Competitors had begun offering valves that didn’t require open-heart surgery—a faster, safer innovation. Savard helped the team shift their mindset, reframe fear as manageable risk, and prioritize high-impact work. The result: they hit their aggressive two-year timeline and delivered a breakthrough product.

“I didn’t just reward them for hitting the goal,” he said. “I rewarded the practices that got them there—transparency, good engineering, risk management. That approach gets people to step up instead of playing it safe.”

Beyond strategy, Savard is a dynamic public speaker who’s addressed major conferences on leadership, innovation, and decision-making. He’s also a dedicated musician, performing saxophone with his wife Lynda in their regional cover band, Necessary Diversion—a fitting name for someone who’s spent a lifetime exploring unconventional paths to progress.

Today, Savard continues to expand his influence through The Innovation Doctors, a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations streamline development and multiply ROI.

“If a sports team doesn't know the goal, they’ll never win,” Savard concluded. “Business is the same. When you apply clarity, performance isn’t just possible—it’s exponential.”

The Clarity Cascade is available now on Amazon and at theinnovationdoctors.com.

Listen to the full interview with Tom Savard on The Savoir Faire Audio Experience.