What is CQ? And why do leaders need it in our increasingly connected world?

An intercultural ministry expert demonstrates the necessity of Cultural Intelligence for effectively serving an increasingly diverse church and world.

The purpose of this book is to outline the important ideas of cultural intelligence and the steps that must be considered and then practiced to become a culturally intelligent leader. The most important aspect covered within this book is that cultural intelligence is both a strategy and a tool towards cultural competency and proficiency. This book outlines the importance of understanding culture and its impact on organizations, the strategic value of cultural intelligence, and the significance of integrating and practicing cultural intelligence in everyday business life. When all these aspects are properly integrated and applied in the leadership and management process, organizations are more innovative and adaptable to respond to cultural changes.

Right now, vast amounts of time and money are being invested all round the world in building global brands and organisations. But where are the global leaders who will lead them? Leaders who can cross cultural boundaries: between east and west, and north and south; between faiths and beliefs; between public, private and voluntary sectors; and between the generations? Where are the leaders who can lead in what Julia calls the “magnet cities” of the world: where the world's most talented young people will convene? Because these people will simply turn their backs on bosses who demand that their teams think and behave alike. The race is on to develop leaders with CQ. And this book is designed to give readers a decisive head start. In the process, Julia has spoken to leaders all round the world, and invited them to tell their own CQ stories: successful and disastrous, serious and funny, poignant, pragmatic and often highly personal. The result is surprising, challenging and frequently uncomfortable (there is no simplistic advice here about how to exchange business cards in the correct local manner). But the ambition is huge. As is the prize for the next generation of leaders who see the opportunity she outlines - and grasp it.

What have international relations, mergers and cross-discipline innovation got in common? They share a dependence on the ability to create mutual understanding between people from different cultural backgrounds. As organisations become more global, and innovative development more urgent, developing the skills to get the best from difference becomes a necessity rather than an option. Cultural Intelligence (CI) is a progressive approach to thinking about culture that aims to provide the reader with a better understanding of what goes on when people with different cultural backgrounds meet, including the emotional drivers and irrational reactions. It introduces a way of thinking about culture as a dynamic and socially constructed phenomenon rather than a fixed set of rules, and suggests ways to benefit from cultural complexity using it as a resource and route to innovation. Cultural Intelligence is for leaders and specialists who have a commitment to bridging and benefiting from differences, and who are looking for alternatives to the traditional cultural concepts. This book gives an introduction to CI and to the dynamic approach to culture. It contains four themed chapters each of which provides an in-depth discussion of one cultural field. Cultural Intelligence contains numerous examples from the authors' teaching, research and consultancy work. It utilises experiences gained from work on the development of international groups from diversity projects, cross-disciplinary project management, mergers and other organisational developments. The book offers many ideas and methods on how to develop the cultural intelligence of an organisation.

Succeeding in today’s global market requires a new set of skills than it did when the pioneers of the twentieth century were making their mark but don’t let that intimidate you from expanding your business beyond our borders. In order to negotiate with vendors from other countries, it is not necessary to immerse yourself in the culture for an extended period of time, or take a month-long trip to learn what people are like. As cross-cultural interactions become increasingly virtual, cultural intelligence—or CQ—becomes the key to taking your business global, and doing so effectively. Having done training and consulting for leaders in more than 100 countries, David Livermore, president and partner at the Cultural Intelligence Center, has detailed a four-step model for improving your CQ and maximizing your impact in managing across cultures. In Leading with Cultural Intelligence, Livermore will help you learn about: Drive--boost your motivation for and confidence in interacting with other cultures Knowledge--understand the relevance of differences in religion, values, norms, and languages Strategy--plan ahead for unfamiliar cultural settings, but remain flexible if actual experience differs from expectations Action--successfully adapt your behavior to each situation Featuring fresh research, case studies, and statistics on the ROI of improving your CQ, this new edition of Leading with Cultural Intelligence with help you thrive in any business environment--whether it’s across the world or in your own backyard.

As our workplaces become increasingly global and diverse, being a culturally intelligent leader isn’t just a bonus—it’s essential. Whether you’re negotiating a contract with a supplier on the other side of the world, managing an increasingly diverse workforce, or expanding your business across borders, developing and applying cultural intelligence, or CQ, this classic resource provides you with the adaptability you need to motivate, negotiate, and accomplish results with anyone, anywhere. Having done consulting and research with leaders in more than 100 countries, David Livermore, founder of the Cultural Intelligence Center and professor at Boston University, has detailed the four CQ skills that are proven to maximize your leadership success in today’s diverse, global business environment: Drive—build your motivation and confidence to address cultural dilemmas Knowledge—learn how to read any cultural situation Strategy—create an inclusive, agile plan that accounts for diverse stakeholders Action—adapt your leadership style without compromising effectiveness Featuring the latest research, case studies, and new chapters on how to lead culturally intelligent organizations and teams, this new edition of Leading with Cultural Intelligence with help you thrive in any leadership environment—whether it’s across the world or in your own backyard.