Cultural Intelligence

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Cultural Intelligence (CQ) is the ability to cope with national, corporate and vocational cultures as described by Christopher Earley and Elaine Mosakowski in HBR of October 2004. CQ is the ability to understand unfamiliar contexts, and then to adjust. They describe three sources of Cultural Intelligence.

Three sources of Cultural Intelligence

1. The Head /  Cognitive. Rote learning about the beliefs, habits and taboos of foreign cultures, will not work well.

2. The Body / Physical. You will not disarm your foreign hosts, guests, or colleagues simply by showing you understand their culture; your actions and demeanor must prove that you have already to some extent entered their world.

3. The Heart / Emotional/motivational. To adjust to a new culture involves overcoming obstacles and setbacks. People can do that only if they believe in their own efficacy.

While it shares many of the properties of emotional intelligence, Cultural Intelligence goes one step further by equipping a person to distinguish behaviors produced by the culture in question from behaviors that are peculiar to particular individuals and those found in all human beings.

Importance of Cultural Intelligence

Why Cultural Intelligence? In an increasingly diverse business environment, managers must be able to navigate through the thicket of habits, gestures, and assumptions that define their coworkers' differences. Foreign cultures are everywhere. In other countries, certainly, but also in corporations, vocations, and regions. Interacting with individuals within them demands sensitivity and adaptability. And the people who have those traits in abundance, are not necessarily the ones, who enjoy the greatest social success in familiar settings.
 

The people who are socially the most successful among their friends, often have the greatest difficulty to understand cultural strangers, and to be accepted by them. Those who fully embody the habits and norms of their native culture, may be the most alien when they enter another culture. Sometimes, somewhat detached people from their own culture, can more easily adopt the habits and even the body language of an unfamiliar host. They are natural observers, and easily make a conscious effort to fit in.
 

Growing your Cultural Intelligence

Earley and Mosakowski conclude that anyone who is reasonably alert, motivated and poised, can attain an acceptable CQ. They recommend a 6 step approach to cultivating your cultural intelligence:

1. Examine your CQ strengths and weaknesses. In this way you establish a starting point.

2. Select training that focuses on your weaknesses.

3. Apply this training.

4. Organize support in own organization.

5. Enter the cultural setting. Start with a focus on your strengths.

6. Reevaluate (360°). Possibly define further training.

Forum Forum discussions about Cultural Intelligence. Below you can ask a question about this topic, share your experiences, report a new development, or explain something. Start a new topic about Cultural Intelligence Share your knowledge here (or ask a question)   Moving Cultural Intelligence to Practice There's a plenty of thought leadership and unique perspectives in this cultural intelligence form discussions at 12manage. Who is interested in collaborating on moving some of them into practice? Here... 9   1 comments Cultural Intelligence and Personality Structure Many people can identify their weaknesses and be trained so as to avoid any obstacles in understanding and be part of a culture. There are some people who cannot change due to their personality struct... 6   2 comments Cross-cultural Training Techniques Avoiding Expat Failure 48 percent of expats leave foreign posts early because of poor job performance and 37 percent return prematurely because they or their family members are unable to acclimatize in different cultures (I... 5   Using CQ and EQ as a Basis for Measuring Education, Leadership and Success? If we want to solve the really "big" problems in our society (western, middle-eastern, European...), with instability, crime, social injustice, abuse of women & children that is on the rise, and our i... 4   3 comments Cultural Adaptability In an era of globalization cultural intelligence (CQ) becomes important. This does not mean adopting other people's culture but accommodating the culture of people in the official as well as personal ... 4   2 comments 🔥 NEW Cultural Sensitivity Training If you are about to establish a cultural sensitivity training for a multinational, what key elements do you consider essential for the success of the course?... 0

Best Practices The best, top-rated topics about Cultural Intelligence. Here you will find the most valuable ideas and practical suggestions. Establishing Cultural Intelligence in Organizations It all depends on the organizational culture and how an organization communicates this among its employees. Keep it stupid simple, choose the right people (cultural fit) for your organization. And be... 28   43 comments Cultural Intelligent Countries Are people from certain countries on average more cultural intelligent than from others? If yes, what could be countries with a high and a low average level of cultural understanding?... 18   5 comments The Relationship of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) with IQ and EQ Personal characteristics - such as cognitive ability and emotional intelligence - facilitate the process of acquiring particular types of information. But when you're working in an international or in... 17   23 comments 5 Tips for International Communication In conducting business, cultural missteps can ruin a good opportunity. As the world shrinks and we work closer and closer together, accepting and understanding each other becomes more essential every ... 15   8 comments Going Against Core Principles and Values... Tough Adapting to a cultural situation is all well and good until an individual is faced with the need of going against their core principles and values and then the trouble starts... Do they do the right t... 14   14 comments Cultural Intelligence Can Help Connect Cultures It seems clear that with computer-information technology revolution, cultural integration and its attended potentials are becoming real. Rich individuals in the techno-advanced world are recognizing ... 8   5 comments Examples of Cultural Intelligent People? Suggestions please for well-known people who we believe have Cultural Intelligence. Who are our Role Models? Why should we hold them up as role models? Well known = perhaps well-known in their own ... 7   9 comments

Expert Tips Advanced insights about Cultural Intelligence. Here you will find professional advices by experts. Pitfalls and Best Practices in Managing Multicultural Teams Multicultural Teams Brett, Behfar and Kern describe 4 common problem areas in managing multicultural teams: 1. Direct vs indirect communica... Theory of Multiple Intelligences Skills Development In 1983, Howard Gardner proposed the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. According to Gardner there are a wide variety of ... Negotiation in Middle Eastern and Western countries Cultural Dimensions, A Practical Example Geert Hofstede’s research on cultural dimensions provides insights into other cultures so that we can be more effective ... How to Assess Your / Someone's Social Intelligence and Leadership Skills Social Intelligence, Leadership Development In their article "Social Intelligence and the Biology of Leadership" (HBR, September 2008), Daniel Goleman and Richard B... Cultural Intelligence in Mergers & Acquisitions M&A Cultural Intelligence in today's context assumes a great significance, particularly in the light of the frenzy of PE / M... Cultural Intelligence Profiles Identify Personal CQ Profile In their article “Cultural Intelligence” (HBR, October 2004) P.C. Earley and E. Mosakowski identify 6 manager profiles a... Thorndike on Intelligence 1920 3 distinct types E.L. Thorndike (1920: Intelligence and its uses) distinguished between three distinct types of intelligence: 1. Abstrac... Koreans vs Germans Differences in Business Communication In a recent interview on Business Spotlight 3/08, Mrs. Mee-Rae Kim, a leading expert in German-Korean intercultural busi... Key CQ Traits and Capabilities? Cultural Intelligence Here are some basic traits and capabilities of a high CQ. 1) Have clear understanding (strengths and weaknesses) of one...

Information Sources Various sources of information regarding Cultural Intelligence. Here you will find powerpoints, videos, news, etc. to use in your own lectures and workshops. Management Across Cultures: Managing in a Global Context Cross-Cultural Management, Cultural Dimensions, Cultural Intelligence, Multicultural Teams, Global Leadership, Global HR This presentation consist of six sections that together form an extensive description of management across cultures. The... How to Develop your Cultural Intelligence: The CQ-Wheel Cultural Intelligence, Intercultural Engagement, Cultural Adaptation, Cultural Dimensions, Cultural Differences In simple terms, Cultural Intelligence is the competence needed to work efficiently in a cross-cultural context. It can ... 5 Strategies to Successfully Manage Cultural Differences Cultural Differences, Cultural Intelligence, Cross-Cultural Teams, Company Culture, Hofstede Cultural differences can be an asset rather than a liability to a team if carefully managed and other people are approac... Your Organization in a Globalized World Organizational Behavior, International, Hofstede, Organizational Culture, Globalization, Cultural Intelligence Presentation about organizational behavior in an age of globalization. The presentation includes the following sections:... Communication and Negotiation in a Cross-cultural Context Cross-Cultural Communication, Cross-Cultural Negotiation Presentation about Communications and Negotiations Across Different Cultures. The presentation includes the following se... 5 Options to Work with People from Another Culture MNCs, Multinationals, Multinational Companies, Globalization, International Leadership Development, Cultural Intelligenc A. How to build a global leadership group in which people can cope with the complexity of working globally? 1. Re... Corporate Diversity and Inclusion Cross Functional Team, Organizational Culture, Globalization, Organizational Change, HRM, Cultural Dimensions In this introduction video, top managers of Skanska share their vision on Diversity and Inclusion and the importance of ... Going Abroad / Cultural Intelligence Workshop Cultural Intelligence, Intercultural Engagement, Cultural Adaptation This presentation provides you with information about traveling the globe and cultural intelligence, with the main goal ... Leading a 21st Century Global Organization Global Leadership, Globalization, Multinational Corporations, MNCs William Fung Group, Managing Director of Li & Fung Ltd, recommends to be successful in a global business leaders have to... Culture, Cultural Competence, Cultural Intelligence and the CQ Cultural Intelligence This presentation is a good introduction to culture and contains three large sections: Culture, Cultural Competenence an... Perception of Cultural Intelligence in South African Organizations Cultural Intelligence Results and Examples Extensive presentation about Cultural Intelligence by Y. du Plessis, S. O'Neil and R. van den Berg. This presentation ex... Negotiating Tips for Brexit Negotiation, Global Leadership, Cultural Intelligence, Multicultural Teams In this video Jason Langrish gives Britain 4 tips how to negotiate a trade deal with the EU, based on The Comprehensive ...

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