WHAT’S YOUR CQ? LIVERMORE
At this moment in America, the term ‘intelligence’ has been on the news, social media, and social conversations. There are several ‘intelligence’ terms: Intelligence Quotient (IQ), and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Now on the news the terms we hear or read about Israel Intelligence, Europe Intelligence, and the U.S. Intelligence. In the atmosphere that we live in at this time, it is interesting that we are reading about another term of ‘intelligence’, Cultural Intelligence (CQ).
As a leader, one must be flexible on how to communicate and relate to another individual. Understanding the cultural of an individual or organization is beneficial in relationships. In global relationships, this is significant to the success of projects and business transactions. Today’s technology has opened access to the world to develop many global business relationships and transactions. CQ is essential in those types of developments.
Roulac’s review of Livermore’s book, The Cultural Intelligence Difference: Master the One Skill You Can’t Do Without in Today’s Global Economy, reference that Livermore identified CQ as the “number one predictor of your success in today’s borderless world.” [1] Livermore in his book, Leading with Cultural Intelligence, he defined it as “your capability to function effectively national, ethnic, and organizational cultures.” (Kindle, 4) In the Harvard Business Review, by authors Early and Mosakowski, they defined CQ as “an outsider’s seemingly natural ability to interpret someone’s unfamiliar and ambiguous gestures the way that person’s compatriots would.” [2] Early and Mosakowski explores the culture among departments with an organization. The communication between these departments is sometimes non-existent. Each department only knows their responsibility or script and are unaware of the mission of the other departments. Have you ever called a Service Call Center to get assistance? You dial the 800 number, listen to the recorded voice, press the appropriate number, and a live person answers only to find out after spending fifteen minutes explaining and discussing your needs to be told, “I’m unable to help you, let me transfer you.”
Livermore presented a theory on Five Personality Test covers: Extroversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Openness to Experience. There is a relationship between the Five Personality Test and the Four Dimension. Of the five, Openness to Experience identifies with all four dimensions, a person’s: drive, knowledge, strategy, and action. (Kindle,170) He discussed the need of CQ when communicating or negotiating with cross-cultural entities. One should have multiple experiences with cross-culture to be able to apply CQ. In America, we have an opportunity to participate in cross-cultural experiences without traveling abroad, but to get an experience of their environment; one would need to travel to that state or country.
Livermore expands his discussion on the four dimensions to help one understand how they should begin understanding and experiencing CQ.
- You first need to determine your motivation for wanting to understand CQ. That motivation directs your drive. (Kindle, 41)
- Knowledge is important to help you ask the essential questions, i.e. ‘What do I want to know?” Ethnocentrism assists in your understanding of the culture and impacts your application of CQ. (Kindle, 63-64)
- The strategy will assist in directing what you want to know and how to obtain it: awareness, planning, and checking. Doing research on the culture and prove one with information that would assist in mapping out what you want to experience and know. (Kindle, 113,115)
- The action is our response to what you have learned and experience of the culture and what lengths are you willing to adjust how you interact with the person or organization. (Kindle, 133)
How do you develop the CQ? Livermore suggests that one: “read, go to movies, eat the foods, journal, learn a new language, attend cultural events and many other options.” (Kindle, 172-173) They overall suggestion would be to explore the culture that you have designated to experience and get involved in the process. Just as any great travel plans, our review where to stay, food and entertainment at your point of travel. For my trip to South Africa, I have been viewing the internet for information on the country, its people, food, historical sites, entertainment, and transportation. I have spoken to individuals who have traveled to South Africa to learn more of the environment and safety in addition to those areas listed previously. I have learned from my experience to Ghana that learning some of the basic language skills can go a long way. After two weeks, I was desperate for the English language.
[1] Roulac, Stephen, The Cultural Intelligence Difference: Master the One Skill You Can’t Do without in Today’s Global Economy, New York Journal of Books, accessed 05/24/17, http://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/cultural-intelligence-difference-master-one-skill-you-can%E2%80%99t-do-without-today%E2%80%99s-global.
[2] Early, P. Christopher, Elaine Mosakowski, Cultural Intelligence, Cross-Cultural Management, Harvard Business Review, October 2004, accessed 5/25/2017, https://hbr.org/2004/10/cultural-intelligence.
About the Author
Lynda Gittens
3 responses to “WHAT’S YOUR CQ? LIVERMORE”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Lynda, good analysis. I like the part you to focused on – The Five Personality Test and how it relates to the 4 capabilities. I too noticed that the person who is open is also the person who can do the best in cross-cultural situations. Jim also mentioned that humbleness is very important.
Will you please send links to the sites you are using for our South Africa trip so I can look at them this summer?
Lynda, you did a good job on this post. I think you have gotten to the core of the CQ, knowledge with a good dose of experience. For example, your experience in Ghana has helped to shape your knowledge of what is critical and what isn’t. It’s a great move on your part to get as much info about South Africa. With the internet, it’s easier than ever to get up to date and relevant information. Your application to leadership and the need for flexibility in communication is also important. One of the great leadership tips that very few talk about is the fact that every person is a culture unto themselves. Enjoyed your post Lynda.
You make a great point that preparation and research is very important to developing CQ and being ready to adapt and remain open to experiences. There is something about walking into another culture with eyes, ears, and heart open that helps us move from “tourist” to pilgrim.