In 2001, CDR Assessment Group published an article titled “Why Cookie Cutter Executive Competency Models Don’t Work.”  The article details why a broad spectrum of leadership skills are needed and one size does not fit all.  That is the key reason why CDR offers “Authentic Leadership” training programs.

In 2008, CDR released an Executive Team Performance Forecast that contained the following,

Did you know that…

  • Homogenous executive teams fail more often than those with divergent capabilities
  • Talent balance should be aligned with business strategy and values
  • Talent cloning (often in one’s own image or comfort zones) is detrimental to business performance results
  • Talent gaps cause blind spots, competitive disadvantages, and performance weaknesses
  • When executive teams lack broad-based inherent competencies, staffs frequently suffer from similar gaps

Deloitte just released a Human Capital Trends Report which includes a “fascinating” report according to Dr. Cris Wildermuth, SPHR about “Cookie Cutter.” He quotes in part “Many companies have spent decades trying to identify and clone the mythical ‘perfect leader.’ But it turns out there is no such thing. Each of these unique challenges requires a unique kind of leader. One size does not fit all.” (Deloitte, 2013, p. 20)

I agree that this is a compelling report by Deloitte.  It is unfortunate there has not been more progress on this topic since we published our findings more than a decade ago.

For a copy of CDR’s Cookie Cutter Article or Executive Team Performance Forecast information, please email cdrinfo@cdrassessmentgroup.com