The desire to treat other people with honor and respect doesn’t automatically mean our behavior comes across as dignifying and kind. There are various adaptations necessary in order to ensure people experience respect and honor from us. ~David Livermore (Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The New Secret to Success)

Several years ago I spent a significant amount of time facilitating training for leaders at a manufacturing plant in rural Kentucky. One day during a break, one of the participants handed me a sheet of paper listing Kentucky vernacular with the “translation.” This was done in jest because he, himself, was a transplant to Kentucky. One of the things I remember from the list was the use of “y’all.” I learned that “y’all” is singular and “all y’all” is plural.

Even if this was done in jest, I still appreciated it. I also found myself saying “y’all” and “all y’all” having spent so much time experiencing a culture quite different from urban Chicago.

This example is minor in comparison to many of the cultural differences we face today. However, it still reflects the steps to increase CQ (Cultural Quotient) and interact more effectively with different cultures.

The term cultural intelligence (and “CQ”) was developed by Soon Ang and Linn Van Dyne as a research-based way of measuring and predicting intercultural performance. Others like David Livermore have added to their work in recent years.

Here are the four capabilities of CQ for leaders.

CQ-Drive (some call this motivation) is a person’s interest and confidence in functioning effectively in culturally diverse settings.

CQ-Knowledge is a person’s knowledge about how cultures are similar and how cultures are different.

CQ-Strategy is how a person makes sense of culturally diverse experiences. It occurs when people make judgments about their own thought processes and those of others.

• Awareness – knowing about one’s existing cultural knowledge;
• Planning – strategizing before a culturally diverse encounter;
• Checking – checking assumptions and adjusting mental maps when actual experiences differ from expectations.

CQ-Action (some call this behavior) is a person’s capability to adapt verbal and nonverbal behavior to make it appropriate to diverse cultures. It involves having a flexible repertoire of behavioral responses that suit a variety of situations.

After reviewing those four capabilities, I want to highlight what is likely obvious but it’s a reality we all must face.

Increasing our individual and organizational CQ requires deliberate ongoing effort.

A one-day diversity training isn’t going to result in significant change. CQ requires a new way of being. It requires leaders to be curious and empathetic. To be uncomfortable. To be listeners and learners while putting their assumptions aside. Leaders need to be behavior adapters to suit a variety of situations.  As Livermore said, “to ensure that people experience respect and honor from us.”