Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The New Secret to Success

by David Livermore

Why are some leaders able to create trust and negotiate contracts with Chinese, Latin Americans, and Germans all in the same day, while others are barely able to manage the diversity in their own offices? The answer lies in their cultural intelligence, or CQ. Packed with practical tools, research, and case studies, Leading with Cultural Intelligence breaks new ground, offering today's global workforce a specific, four-step model to becoming more adept at managing across cultures: Drive-show the interest and confidence to adapt cross-culturally Knowledge-understand how differences such as religion, family, education, legal, and economic influences affect the way people think and behave Strategy-monitor, analyze, and adjust plans in unfamiliar cultural setting Action-choose the right verbal and nonverbal behaviors, depending on context Practical and insightful, this indispensable guide shows leaders how to connect across any cultural divide, including national, ethnic, and organizational cultures.

Genres: Leadership, Nonfiction, Business, Cultural, Management, Self Help, Communication

220 pages, ebook

First published October 1, 2009

About the author

DAVID LIVERMORE, PH.D., is president and partner at the Cultural Intelligence Center and a visiting research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He has done consulting and training with leaders in 100 countries and is the author of Leading with Cultural Intelligence (978-0-8144-1487-3).

Reviews

[Alex Fazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

IQ, EQ and now CQ due to our ever-changing global world. Cultural intelligence is a MASSIVE component to acquire in order to succeed with any culture.

CONCERN:

The main concern I have with this book is the author spends way too much time and energy on WHY it's important... I assume that most people who are willing to PAY MONEY for it are already mostly sold on the significance of CQ. One chapter on the "why" is MORE than enough...

My TIPS:

SKIP straight to chapter 4 and 5 because you can access empirical research with clear STRATEGIES on how to negotiate and manage cultures with completely different values, beliefs and systems!!!

[BJ Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is divided into three parts. The first part is about why Cultural Intelligence (CQ) is necessary. The second part is his four-part CQ measuring metric (CQ Drive, Knowledge, Strategy, Action). The third part is about how to apply CQ both as an individual and in your business. As good as I thought the book was in general, there is one major complaint I have for each section.

Part 1 was too long. Anyone who has picked up this book almost certainly doesn't need a lot of convincing that cultural intelligence is important. They wouldn't be reading the book if they weren't already at least partly convinced. This section might be more important when doing seminars, but for the book, the entire section could have made a great opening chapter, and then we could focus more on what was truly important.

At times part two felt too much like a long string of stereotypes. In my experience, cultural stereotypes generally fall on about a 70-30 line. If the stereotype is accurate then roughly seventy percent of the time people within the culture of that stereotype will fit it. For example, Nordic Europe is supposed to value cooperation over competitiveness (page 113). If this stereotype is true than it will probably fit seven out of ten Swedish people you will come across. IMO, knowing how to identify personality and cultural traits in a specific individual and adapt to them is more important than knowing generalized stereotypes that Livermore listed out ad nauseum for his two largest chapters.

Part 3 really felt like one big commercial. Don't get me wrong. This is a common fault in most leadership books I have come across. If it isn't written by John Maxwell, then there's probably a 90% chance that at least part of the leadership book you have picked up will do so. That is one of the many reasons anyone who wants to have any type of leadership influence should read Maxwell.

Livermore isn't Maxwell. Not even close. He isn't even a Ting-Toomy and Chung (Understanding Intercultural Communication). But even still, despite my complaints in this review, it is still a really good book and worth the time and money you might invest in it.

[Hesham Wahby · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a great motivation to think about leadership in terms of a cultural context, whether that is national culture, organizational culture or nuances of culture within a society. It also gives some very good advice, and summary framework in which to approach the topic practically.

However, the 4-step Cycle tool at times feels a bit artificial, and that it is so obvious that it can apply to anything. This is not such a bad thing, as any good tool can usually be re-purposed in other contexts, but it just seems that the author is at times showing off this miracle that he has discovered seems to takes it seriously that it comes across as a something like a cult, which does injustice to the topic.

Part 3 gets down to some of the very practical advice for applying a cultural context to leadership in an organization, and I wish we had gotten to this sooner. It is this part that made me decide I was going to give the book 4 stars instead of 3. It's like the author spent most of the book describing the introductory framework, and then crammed the practical application in the last chapter, which could have been much longer and much more useful and structured if it was given more space.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say, you can skip Part 2 of the book completely, where the 4-step tool is described in detail, and you can get almost all of the juice of the book's ideas from Parts 1 and 3. You'll still know the 4-step cycle idea well enough even if you do that. Yeah, you will miss some of the anecdotal stories and examples that are in part 2, but those anecdotes can still be integrated in a much more meaningful way while describing the ways to apply the framework in Part 3.

Overall, I would recommend this book as a good intro to the topic of cultural leadership, but don't take it too seriously, and don't expect that it will be the ultimate practical guide to applying these ideas.

[Peter Kerry Powers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to tell students that whether they "liked" a book or were "interested" in a topic was utterly beside the point. The point of an education is to learn how to invest yourself, to find your way in, to practice the imaginative leaps that would be necessary to take interest and even to come to like or love something that you were unable to like at the beginning. Generally speaking, I think education is training in how to be a soul more open to possibilities, to increase both the range and depth of your pleasures and thereby to increase your motivation to understanding of things that were previously indifferent or mysterious.

Well, I'll be up front and say Livermore's book, Leading With Cultural Intelligence, isn't pitched to the meaty part of my imaginative or intellectual strike zone. I have enjoyed books on leadership in higher education where I pick up tips here and there on how to do a better job. I do find, however, that books on leadership are often long on examples that state the obvious, too repetitive of the insights others have already well-established, short on deeper reflection on human meaning and purpose, and almost totally absent of graceful writing. Too many feel like the insights of a good Harvard Business Review essay stretched over and extra hundred and fifty pages to make the best seller list.

That having been said, I came to Livermore's book with a little trepidation, but also determined to demand of myself what I demanded of my students--to make a leap of the imagination that would help me find my way in to it. It came recommended from Todd Allen, a trusted colleague who leads our institutional efforts in inclusive excellence, and I have some long personal and intellectual investment in understanding how to make some difference in the world relative to issues of cultural and racial division and animosity. Finally, I firmly believe that if institutions of higher education are going to fully grapple with the questions of inclusive excellence, leadership has to come from the middle from people like department chairs who help make and implement decision about curriculum, hiring, faculty development and other academic programming. So I am considering the book as a source text for a chair retreat next fall.

By and large this motivation paid dividends. Cultural Intelligence has the faults I list above. It won't be remembered for its contributions to American prose, and the second half of the book starts sounding repetitive even though Livermore is supposedly introducing new concepts. Nevertheless, I ended up glad I read the book. I ended with some new insights into my own way of being in the world and it helped me think about how that way of being might be contributing positively or negatively to efforts in inclusive excellence in my own domain.

The notion of cultural intelligence has been around for a little while, and is somewhat akin to the notions like emotional intelligence. Livermore makes this analogy explicit, in fact. Roughly speaking the book is about the dimension of cultural intelligence, the skills you need to effectively exercise cultural intelligence, and the means by which you can enhance your cultural intelligence. Livermore breaks cultural intelligence down in to four domains: knowledge, motivation, strategy, and action. What kinds of knowledge do you need to be culturally intelligent? What kind of motivation do you have to practice cultural intelligence? What strategies do you use to engage in situations of cultural difference? What kinds of actions do you pursue to reach specific ends in ways that respect the cultures with which you are engaging?

None of this is rocket science exactly, but because Livermore is making most of his references to leading in multinational corporations, I was constantly having to think by analogy to how things might apply to the world of higher education. Among other things, as a Dean of the Humanities, it struck me that we probably think of cultural intelligence almost entirely in the realm of knowledge--what do you know about other cultures and inter cultural situations being the driving question. This is unsurprising given the cognitive bias of most of us who choose to go in to higher ed. But in Livermore's conception this is only one small part of what it would mean to function in a culturally intelligent way. It's not enough to know about other cultures, it's also important to know how your own culture leads you to privilege certain things and value certain kinds of behavior. Moreover, knowledge alone may not lead to strategy and action. Livermore makes the case that introverts tend to be very strong on cultural knowledge and strategizing, but weaker on action and motivation. This rang true, though of course it isn't universally true. But intellectuals like to reflect, like to strategize, and sometimes we don't really like to act. Thinking is what we do best, and a strategy is a means of perfecting castles in the air as yet unmarred by the difficulty of implementation. This is not to denigrate reflection of strategizing since Livermore makes clear that all are important; it's just to point out that Livermore provides a framework for thinking where your own strengths and weaknesses may lie and how you can work on other areas.

Finally, even though Livermore's book is primarily about intercultural intelligence in global companies, it also struck me that it is very applicable to academic cultures on most college campuses. Academic institutions, even very small ones, are usually made up of multiple cultures that don't understand each other's values, don't understand the way one another talk, and often have a miserable time trying to work together. The faculty does not understand the culture of the administration or operations, and vice versa. The culture of the administration can fall into the trap of denigrating the culture of the faculty, or at least being mystified by it (and vice versa). Neither faculty or administration easily understand the rapidly changing cultures of the student body. And within and across all these cultures are the larger cultural matrices of the society as a whole--international students and faculty from multiple areas of the world, students and faculty from multiple domestic ethnic backgrounds, different age groups, urban and rural often thrust together, hip and jowl. This cultural cacophony is one reason cultural politics on campus is so fraught and difficult to manage. But it is also our glory. Where else in American life do we ask such a range of people to come together for common purpose, for the common good? If we can do it well, we can be a model for others. I don't imagine Livermore's book will get us there, but it has some helpful ideas for steps along the way.

[Pchu · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book provides an introduction to the idea of cultural intelligence, or CQ, in management and leadership. Ultimately it frustrates me in the same way so much of the literature from this sphere does--the motivation always seems to be profitability and the bottom line, with cursory nods to the idea of respect for difference or building mutual tolerance. Similarly, the book offers up banal observations as wisdom (direct quote from page 56: "Money can be used to offer people opportunity, life sustenance, and empowerment or it can be used to destroy life.") or vague suggestions to seem accessible (want to learn about cultures? watch a movie! read a book!) which, in my opinion, are too superficial to be all that useful. Besides, if this book didn't help you become a cultural expert, you can always pay to take the CQ survey online and book 10 follow up coaching sessions for you and your team.

My feeling while reading was an overwhelming "meh," which I think is a symptom of the way these authors and cultural coaches try to shoehorn the richness of a varied human experience into the regimen of corporate profitability, either/or binaries, and the "triple bottom line". Do businesses perform better when their leadership is empathetic, knowledgeable, adaptable, and culturally aware? Of course, but those qualities should, at least theoretically, be desirable even (or perhaps especially) outside of a business context.

[Darren · Rating 3 out of 5]

The middle of this book was top-notch and very useful. The beginning section was unnecessary - it was trying to sell people on the importance of Cultural Intelligence, but if you've already picked up the book to read or listen to, I don't think that's needed. And the ending was trying to sell the author's other products, and it dragged.

I would recommend not listening to this book, but reading it instead, so you can skip the beginning and end.

Also, listen to the author's series in the Great Courses: "Customs of the World: Using Cultural Intelligence to Adapt, Wherever You Are." It's way better than this book.

[Darya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cultural intelligence is a concept that described a capability to adapt to culturally unique environments. Interesting aspects of adapting to cultural circumstances that are new in both personal and professional lives are vitally important today due to world globalization. The ability to adapt and navigate through environments characterized by cultural diversity, complexity, and ambiguity, not only survive but also thrive in those environments. CQ can be learned and taught which is good news. The book teaches how to develop own CQ, as well as promote and train within teams.

[Aalok Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and useful

- It explains CQ in a simple way with tools we can use
- Really useful for people who work with multiple nationalities
- Ticks most of the boxes for me who is Executive in an MNC dealing with multiple nationalities. Would have loved to have more examples about cultures.

[Danette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good insights here, although the last 1/2 felt more like a sales pitch for his consulting services and assessment. The stages of Cultural Intelligence are well-defined and his reasoning for becoming culturally intelligent go beyond international travel.

[Julianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very thorough, interesting, and research-based book! (And that's a hard combo to pull off.) I learned a lot + I'm glad I read it.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, but if you've read other books on the topic (such as Culture Map by Erin Mayer) you may find a lot of overlap. If you haven't read other such books, this is a great one to start on.

[Vi D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. Lots of examples and practical tips.

[Byron Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libro sencillo de entender y con buenos consejos

[Elijah Zoarski · Rating 2 out of 5]

3/4 of the book is Fluff, only chapter that were necessary to read are 4 & 5. Those chapters alone make the book worth the purchase.

[Zach Lockhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent book depending on the reader’s intended application. Useful for self-introspection? Sure. Useful for missiology? Mhmm maybe.

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! We can think we are culturally intelligent until we have read this book. I highly recommend everyone to read this. It's a real eye opener.

[Karl Swanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was assigned this book for a class. I didn't regret reading it, but I also won't recommend it to anyone. Personally, I wouldn't go after this book unless you need to read it for a course.

[Affad Shaikh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is a wonderful read for those who are in need of some help understanding how to maneuver through cultural exchanges. I for one found myself very interested in reading about Dr. Livermores interactions in international settings and the observations he made within those experiences. Most important, though, were his suggestions about those particular examples. Ranging from how Westerners don't understand other cultures and the impact that has on business to how things aren't as simple as all humans have the same desires and wants for themselves and their loved ones like what we (the outsider to that particular culture) might want. Dr. Livermore does a wonderful job of contextualizing cultural norms that seem out of place to western experiences. I would recommend this book to anyone who is apprehensive about cultural exchanges, who feels out of place or out of touch with other people that don't share the same norms as them. I would rate this book higher, however, I felt that my expectations were not met while reading this book. Partly this stems from the fact that I think this book was more of a topic that could be a lecture (or series of lectures) or a TED presentation rather then an actual book.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cultural intelligence is the new leadership requirement

The boundaries between countries and cultures blur more each day. After all, you can buy a Starbucks latte at the airport in Guam or Shanghai. Advances in communication, the Web and global expansion have made the world even smaller. But don’t be fooled, cautions consultant and trainer David Livermore. You can’t do business in São Paulo the same way as in Munich, even if you are drinking the same latte. Livermore doesn’t teach the customs and habits of various cultures. Instead, he provides a four-step framework for navigating cultural contexts. He identifies the four elements of CQ: “drive, knowledge, strategy and action.” Each one calls upon a set of skills you can apply whether you’re trying to relate to your teenager’s Goth friend, negotiate with a Mexican executive or open a new office in Israel. getAbstract thinks anyone who deals with people from varied cultures – and who doesn’t – will find this cross-cultural leadership guide as essential as a passport.

To learn more about this book, check out the following Web page: http://www.getabstract.com/summary/12...

[Cynthia Kepler-Karrer · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is some quite helpful information in here, though it requires quite a bit of translating to a faith context. Also, in the midst of identifying multiple cultures that might have an effect on interactions, he fails to identify socio-economic cultures. In other words, the book assumes a middle to upper class audience as well as cross-cultural connections which will never breach the boundaries of socio-economic class, which is not at all the case for many of us in urban ministry. Finally, there is scant attention paid to how one might go about seeking out cross-cultural situations--again, in the business world, meetings are set up and it's just assumed that the context for these interactions will be there. These are more difficult to "set up" in the context of ministry, though there are some obvious possibilities (ecumenical settings, interfaith relationships). We don't actually have to travel internationally to have cross-cultural actions in my neighborhood, though Livermore generally assumes that you will be going to the geographic locations where different cultures are dominant. Still--I learned a lot and have plenty to think about and chew on.

[Glenn Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an easy to read, thorough book on Cultural intelligence (CQ), and why it is a must to develop in this area if you are interested in working in global management or cross-culturally.

Livermore presents a Four dimensional model of cultural intelligence:
• CQ Drive (Motivation) – Intrinsic, Extrinsic, Self-Efficacy
• CQ Knowledge (Cognitive) – Cultural systems, norms & values
• CQ Strategy (Metacognitive) – Awareness, Planning, Checking
• CQ Action (Behavioral) – Verbal, Nonverbal, Speech Acts

CQ is essentially the opposite of ethnocentrism, where we tend to evaluate other people and their culture by the standards of our own cultural preferences. Livermore identifies the need for leaders to develop the ability to distinguish between what’s universal, cultural and personal as an important indicator of CQ.

This is an excellent book.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot of good stuff in this book, but it reads so much like over-zealous marketing and advertising that it got old. The first third was all about how important this is...yada, yada, yada. The second part told the good stuff and the last third was trying to convince the reader the purchase was not in vain.

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the practical strategies and relatable examples of this book. It was a quick read with consistent application and interwoven strategies throughout. As I read this one, my highlighter was nearby...there are so many nuggets to pull out of this!

[Tina Zellman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and practical. I appreciate how it was detailed.

[Sharon Noorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for conducting business in a cross cultural global world. Livermore relates CQ in an easy to understand and adapt manner.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview/framework for considering why cultural intelligence is important, and how you can increase awareness and develop better "CQ" over time.

[Merril Hope-brown]

interesting

[Ali Crain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lot of good info for those working or looking to work internationally or even with multicultural teams.

[sch]

PD with the faculty at work. Preface would have put me to sleep if his tone were less frantic.

We didn't finish it.