Cultural Intelligence

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Coping with national cultures, corporate cultures and vocational cultures. Explanation of Cultural Intelligence of Earley and Mosakowski. ('04)

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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

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

Examine your CQ strengths and weaknesses. In this way you establish a starting point.
Select training that focuses on your weaknesses.
Apply this training.
Organize support in own organization.
Enter the cultural setting. Start with a focus on your strengths.
Reevaluate (360°). Possibly define further training.

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Cultural Intelligence Forum

Recent User Comments

    			 
  			   Prashant Pansare - India
  	       
  		     C. Q. a Must in Today's Global Business Environment
  	  		 "Increasing liberalization of trade has lead to various factors including movement of labour / global workforce, diversity in supply chain....
 Diversity in customers managed by multinational/multiculture teams.. A very true scenario in today's global business environment.... Hence having a CQ is a necessity today...."
  			   
    	  		 0

    			 
  			   Pam Boney - USA
  	       
  		     Four Quadrant Approach at Tilt
  	  		 "We are exploring and researching similar concepts and have four sources of cultural intelligence.  Head, Heart, Gut and Spirit.  Cognitive, Emotional, Instinctual and Philosophical.  Wisdom, Humanity, Courage and Resilience.  We are doing studies with Ex-Pats and the correlation to adjustment next year after we complete our studies on correlation to innovative productivity.  The failure rate for ex-pats from the US to adjust in other cultures is the specific problem we would like to address."
  			   
    	  		 1

    			 
  			   Vo Vinh Benjamine - France
  	       
  		     Cultural Intelligence vs Skills Culture
  	  		 "By accompanying transnational mergers, we sometimes realize how much skills culture can be more under question than national cultures. Production staffs understand each others borderless, whereas HR and marketing staffs fight in the same country. People sharing the same objective, rooted on project management approach, is often the transnational way to converge."
  			   
    	  		 0

    			 
  			   Samuel Nduati Mbugua - Kenya
  	       
  		     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 structures. How can such people be changed to accept and embrace other cultures?"
  			   
    	  		 0

    			 
  			   DEBBY - UK
  	       
  		     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 country if not internationally. Can you suggest anyone in the corporate or business field? Why you think (s)he is so cultural intelligent?"
  			   
    	  		 8

Best User Comments

    			   
    			     Etienne - France
  	         
  				   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?"
    			   
        	  		 16

    			   
    			     Ullhas Pagey - India
  	         
  				   Cultural Intelligence in Mergers & Acquisitions
  				   "Cultural Intelligence in today's context assumes a great significance, particularly in the light of the frenzy of PE / M&A activity taking place all across the globe. Corporate history bears the testimony of the fact that many M&As have failed - primarily because of lack of post-merger "Symbiotic Relationship" indicating lack of "CQ" on both sides. Hence, as part of OD diagnostics during pre-merger stage, it is important to carry out due dilligence on "Cultural Intelligence" - mainly in Cognitive and Emotional domain - as described by Early & Mosakowski in HBR 2004 issue - be carried out to identify cultural viruses, that could possibly destroy the post merger relationship."
    			   
        	  		 7

    			   
    			     Ben - USA
  	         
  				   Key CQ Traits and Capabilities?
  				   "What is special about expatriates or international managers with a high Cultural Intelligence (CQ)?

What are the key traits and capabilities of people with a high CQ?"
    			   
        	  		 6

    			   
    			     Ben - USA
  	         
  				   Significance for Multinationals
  				   "For global companies, the ability to incorporate cultural intelligence in their selection, hiring, education and management development processes seems important. Who can share some best practices or nightmares how this is done?"
    			   
        	  		 5

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12manage for:

                     
                      ● Rhonda Singer (Canada)
                      
                    Four Quandrant Approach
                    "Pam: I very much like this model and the terminology resonates well with CI. I would like to be included in any updates or ...if that is possible  Thanks"

● Jean (UK)	Cultural Intelligent Role Models	"Really tough question... Perhaps a famous diplomat..."
● Faseeh Ahmed Khan (India)	Cultural Intelligent	"I think people who, despite coming from a different cultural background and who understand others' behaviours etc would qualify for this. Going by this logic, All famous people, working away from their country of origin could qualify. I can identify Mark Tully ex BBC, Laxmi Mittal of Arcelor Mittal......., basically people who head mutlinational companies, logically could qualify."
● (India)	Cultural Intillegence Example: Ratan Tata	""People who adjust themselves in diverse culture, respect others culture and create a working environment that makes all the workers and employees not only felt belonged but also make them comfortable with the new style of working, which certainly happens when two different cultures mix together, are the actual role models. Ratan Tata can be a role model who has successfully managed various mergers and acquisitions by Tata group in various countries all over the world.""
● Irene Ofori (Ghana)	Culture Intelligence	"I think we have to have role models to help us achieve our target. Someone is culture intelligent if he has knowledge about other cultures and can adjust himself to it."
● Charles Lengeju (Tanzania)	Nyerere is Cullturaly Intelligent	"Interesting subject. People who can recognise the strenghs of others and accomodate them well in the company regardless of differences in culture. walimu Julius Nyerere, the first President of Tanzania, incorporated English and Indians in his first cabinet.Nyerere is surely one of cultural intelligent people."
● Eddie (UK)	Example of culturally intelligent people	"Difficult one - but would suggest foreign secetary or equivalent and head of UN. These people simply can't afford not to be culturally aware. Organisationally, HBSC would be one - just watch its adverts (yes it's an advert claim) which strives to show the organisation is culturally intelligent! Finally,I believe I am culturally intelligent -I say humbly!"

● James (UK)	Nationality and Cultural Intelligence	"I think it was Hofstede who researched this, Scandinavians seem to be particularly good at adapting to the local culture, whereas for some reason, we Anglo Saxons (Yes Yanks you as well ! :-) ) have a reputation for thinking our own ways are best"
● (USa)	Cultural Intelligence	"Cultural Intelligence is the ability to respect people of all nationalities. No one culture should impose and or attempt to dominate and shape the thinking of others. We can all build a better world by respecting each others' cultural difference and similarities."
● (China)	Cultural Intelligent Cultures	"I'm not sure! I have worked in China for 10 years with expatriates and locals alike assisting them in adjusting to a new culture through cross cultural training programs. It seems to me that there isn't one country whose nationals adapt more quickly or are more culturally intelligent. It does seem to be a personality issue. Those who have travelled widely, are more detached, are more big picture and less concerned about time, seem to adapt better to China and Shanghai in particular (this is where I'm based). Also, those who are curious about others' history, language, traditions - Culture - may fit in more easily. those who are open to seeing themsleves in a different way and those who are willing to accept that there are other ways of doing tend to get better results. These are my observations from 20 years of working multi-culturally and 10 years of working in China. It is not the absolute truth."
● (Netherlands)	Cultural Intelligent People	"Perhaps people coming from relative small countries such as Skandinavian, Dutch or Belgium could be more open for other cultures out of necessity (nobody knows their culture or language so they have to adapt)."

● Hemant Vora (USA)	CQ	"Here are some basic traits and capabilities of a high CQ. 1) Have clear understanding (strengths and weaknesses) of one's own culture 2) Be aware of and understand norms, customs, "Do's" and "Don'ts" of a groups of professional people and people of different faiths, culture etc. 3) Know how to express disagreements respectfully with people of other cultures; Know how to appreciate and praise relatives or subordinates of people of other cultures. (in some places one has to tell the boss how good the subordingate is and avoid talking directly to the subordinate) 4) Know the "intent" and understand the body language ( in some cultures "yes" is not always "yes" and "No" is not always "No". In short, CQ is "People Skills" based on clear understanding of part culture plays in belief, philisophy, habits and cultures. "
● Ken Sylvester (USA)	Cultural Intelligence	"I agree with your emphasis. My 25 yera of experience suggest that the host country do the hiring, slection, training, and etc. Language is not the challenge. It is the myriad of embedded meanings beneath language. Thus, do not centralize this task, decentralize it to those who have grown up in the culture. I welcome friendly fire."
● Marius Lotter (Cairo/UK)	CQ: Personality	"CQ is an important factor in the daily interaction with colleagues and certainly worth further research. However, acceptance of personal attitudes, personalities and capabilities are equally important. People from different cultures expect to be treated in a certain way. Whilst some are more relaxed, others are easily offended by comments and/or dialogue. One must treat this carefully to avoid creating ambiguity and confusion or discontent."

                       
                        ● Candy Carpenter (USA)
                        
                      Hire a CQ Liaison
                      "Have each company that is interested in cultural intelligence research and develop a branch for that one department and hire a company liason for that reason."