Cultural Intelligence (CQ) enables individuals and organizations to be successful in today’s multicultural, globalized world. CQ is the capability to function and relate effectively in culturally diverse situations.
Beyond Tourism uses the Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Model to assess your current abilities, your cultural preferences. Beyond Tourism can help you learn to identify and adapt to cultural differences.
The CQ model is based on decades of research on intelligence and cultural exchange. Soon Ang and Lynn Van Dyne are the researchers that led this unique line of inquiry and developed the model.
Going beyond existing notions of cultural sensitivity and awareness, CQ captures the capabilities of individuals and organizations that successfully and respectfully accomplish their objectives, whatever the cultural context.
A few questions to ask yourself as you consider your current level of cultural intelligence:
Do you have cultural self-awareness?
Do you have the ability to recognize cultural differences?
Are you able to identify when someone’s behavior is coming from a cultural difference?
Do you have the self-awareness to identify when your behavior is coming from your cultural programming?
When you meet someone from another culture, are you able to adapt your behaviors to communicate better?
What are the four dimensions of CQ?
Most cultural competence programs focus on teaching information about different cultures (e.g. Indians versus Germans; Millennials vs. Boomers). Cultural intelligence takes a different approach. Based on more than twenty years of research across over 100 countries, we know that there are four capabilities that need to be developed in order to relate and work effectively with people from different backgrounds.
CQ Drive (Motivational CQ): the level of a person’s interest, persistence, and confidence to function in culturally diverse settings.
CQ Knowledge (Cognitive CQ): the level of a person’s understanding about how cultures are similar and how they are different.
CQ Strategy (Meta-cognitive CQ): the degree to which a person plans for, remains aware during, and checks after multicultural interactions.
CQ Action (Behavioral CQ): the extent of a person’s flexibility and appropriate use of a broad repertoire of behaviors and skills during multicultural encounters.
Follow this link to explore the research basis for the CQ model in more depth.
What are the cultural behaviors that impact our “under the iceberg” behaviors?
These are the values we measure in a CQ assessment. While working with Beyond Tourism, you will identify your cultural behaviors, understand how they impact your behavior, and learn how to adapt. Unlearning our mind’s cultural programming is difficult work.
Individualism/Collectivism
Power Distance
Uncertainty Avoidance
Cooperative/Competative
Time Orientation
Context (Direct/Indirect)
Being/Doing
Universalism/Particularism
Expressiveness (Neutral/Affective)
Focus (Monochromatic/Polychromatic)
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
For years, the case has been that more diversity equals improved organizational performance. But you can’t expect diverse groups to work together effectively and improve performance if they lack the skills to do so. Cultural intelligence (CQ) is the strategic link that ensures DEI efforts lead to meaningful and sustainable results.