How to grow your cultural intelligence
AUTHORITIES in Cultural Intelligence (CQ), Soon Ang and Linn Van Dyne, a person’s cultural intelligence
determines their capability to function effectively across national, ethnic and organisational
cultures. It can also impact how we interact with different genders, or across different
generations. Although this can sound like common sense to many of us, you may not be as culturally intelligent as you thought! Are you well-travelled? Do you speak more than one language? Do you
have a wealth of technical expertise or book knowledge? Do you have a high level of Emotional Intelligence (EQ)? If you’re answer to one or more of these questions is yes, it does not necessarily mean you are more culturally intelligent (Livermore, 2014).High EQ enables you to read and react appropriately to different emotions, but it is culturally bound. You could have a great understanding
of appropriate behaviour in a particular cultural setting, but this may be exactly the opposite in another cultural setting. This is why we often see skilled migrants not fitting in, or even going back to
where they come from. You can change this, however, without altering what you believe in or love; you just need to be willing to adapt and observe. High CQ will decrease burnout in the workplace, as well as increase your cross-cultural adaptability and your bottom line in the long run (Livermore, 2014). It will also increase your situational awareness and ultimately enable you to build better, stronger relations – allowing you to feel less stressed and gain a stronger sense of belonging. Here are my five top tips for increasing your Cultural Intelligence:
- KNOW YOURSELF
Only by having an understanding of who you are, where you come
from and more importantly, why you make decisions in a certain way,
can you begin to adapt and understand others better. - GROW YOUR CULTURAL AWARENESS
Be aware of other cultures around you and pay
attention to the behaviour of others, including
what it is that drives this behaviour. Awareness
grows understanding and this understanding will
give you an edge to negotiate more effectively. - BE PROACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE
Unfortunately, many organisations reach out to
me when things have already started falling apart.
A more effective approach, however, would be the
Chinese concept of paying the doctor only when you are
healthy, as this means he has done his job properly. By anticipating
how you can adapt your behaviour, react earlier and not react to
certain scenarios, you can be more productive in the long run. Keep in
mind that it is much more exhausting to constantly be reactive. - BUILD RAPPORT BY ADAPTING YOUR STYLE
Adapt your style when you speak to someone to mirror (not copy)
their body language. People like someone similar to them, so be open
to adapting your style. This doesn’t mean changing your personality,
but sometimes little gestures can mean a lot. - READ CULTURAL SIGNS
Observe people when they are in their natural state and when they
are discussing something they are passionate about. Look at what
they do with their body language – their hands, their expressions –
and note their tone of voice and pitch. Be aware of when this changes
and draw the conversation back to their natural state.
There will be awkward moments and no one should completely
change who they are and how they do things in order to fit in. Frankly,
those who over-emphasise a bow or a handshake, which would not
be their normal greeting, can make things worse.
Remember: we are all different. Others are not wrong or right,
just different.
If you would like to measure and grow your CQ or the CQ