The cultural intelligence

What does the bird on the branch trust to prevent falling—the branch or its own wings? I don’t know what conclusion you have reached, but have you ever seen a bird die because a branch broke?

That\’s why survival has always depended on people’s internal power. In ancient times, it was physical strength, but intelligence has always been crucial, whether one is physically strong or not.

When I realized this truth, I was suddenly introduced to a new concept called ‘cultural intelligence’ at the HRSE expo 2024 conference in the Dubai World Trade Centre last month. I was waiting for the conference to start when  Ms. Emma Jordan(speaker-cultural intelligence )came onto the stage. I was in the front row, and she announced the term cultural intelligence (quotient- CQ). I was familiar with the term intelligence quotient(IQ), but what is this cultural quotient?

Yuval Noah Harari explains that humans dominate the world not because of individual physical superiority but due to our unique ability to cooperate flexibly in large numbers. Unlike ants or bees, which cooperate rigidly, or chimpanzees and wolves, which cooperate with familiar individuals, humans can collaborate with countless strangers. This capability is rooted in our ability to create and believe in shared myths and stories, enabling large-scale cooperation. This collective power allows humans to build complex societies and control the planet.

Yes, you understood well – we are good at association!

When I think about the concept of cultural intelligence, I am reminded of this key idea. \”in order to survive we associate well with strangers. we try to understand their feelings.\” In our current globalized world, interactions among cultures are more important than ever. Thanks to Ms. Emma Jordan suggested that I read David Livermore’s “Leading with Cultural Intelligence.” The next part of this blog is a review of this book.

I have always embraced global ideas. Coming from a coastal region in India (Kerala) we have always encountered many different groups of people throughout our lives since childhood. My village was a tourist destination where many people came and interacted with us. I recall playing football with Europeans and my friends when I was five years old—a new experience playing football with three Europeans. At that time, I didn’t know English; we only spoke Malayalam, our regional language. But when both groups understand the rules of football and decide to have fun, no cultural barrier can resist you.

Now the world has changed a lot. In this increasingly globalized world, the ability to interact effectively across cultures has become a vital skill for leaders and organizations. David Livermore’s “Leading with Cultural Intelligence” provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and developing this skill, known as Cultural Intelligence (CQ). CQ is defined as the capability to function effectively in culturally diverse settings and is particularly important for leaders navigating complex international environments.

The author breaks down the concept into four components:

1) CQ Drive: The motivation to learn about and engage with other cultures. It encompasses intrinsic interest, extrinsic interest, and self-efficacy.
  – Intrinsic Interest: The genuine curiosity and desire to experience other cultures.
  – Extrinsic Interest: External rewards or benefits that motivate engagement with other cultures.

2) CQ Knowledge: Understanding cultural differences and similarities. It includes knowledge of cultural norms, practices, conventions, values driving behavior (e.g., individualism vs. collectivism), and how language influences communication.

3) CQ Strategy: Making sense of culturally diverse experiences and planning accordingly. It includes awareness, planning, and checking.

4) CQ Action: The ability to adapt behavior appropriately in cross-cultural situations through verbal and non-verbal actions like adjusting language use according to cultural context.

Also, the author walks us through the benefits of cultural intelligence:

a) Global Leadership: Leaders with high CQ can manage international teams more effectively by understanding diverse perspectives and fostering inclusive environments.

b) Negotiations: In international negotiations, cultural intelligence helps leaders navigate differences in negotiation styles and build trust with partners from different backgrounds.

c) Conflict Resolution: CQ enables leaders to mediate conflicts by appreciating underlying cultural values that may contribute to disagreements.

d) Innovation: Diverse teams often generate innovative solutions by combining different cultural perspectives. Leaders with high CQ can harness this diversity effectively.

As a communication specialist, I conclude this book review with an interpretation related to communication. The concept of communication is basically , sending a message through a medium to a receiver. But often, good communication fails due to noise in the medium—cultural differences are such noise. If people acquire cultural intelligence, we can repair our medium, making us effective global communicators as well.