November 01, 2024
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Are you culturally intelligent? Part 2

November 03, 2022
Are you culturally intelligent? Part 2

 Last week, I defined cultural intelligence. Today, I look at how it can be applied at the workplace to promote diversity and inclusivity.   

The big question then is, what is the importance of cultural intelligence (CQ) to an organisation? Culture eats strategy for breakfast, says some strategist. Perhaps there is some truth to it. How things are done is important, which to a large extent cuts into culture, giving an organisation a competitive advantage to sustain and grow over time. 

So, how is this growth sustained?

Below are a few principles that can be applied to inculcate cultural intelligence into your team.  

Firstly, it is important to bond over similarities. 

Many leaders think that the best way to address diversity in the workplace is by highlighting and acknowledging people’s differences. However, studies have shown that it is better to find commonalities amongst people. When people bond over similarities, they are more likely to be accepting of each other’s differences. These similarities provide an enabling environment for cultural intelligence to thrive. 

Secondly, leaders need to challenge stereotypes.

Mercia Geises once gave an example of how she challenged the stereotype that comes with formal events called black-tie events. 

The ‘black tie’ term was coined in 1885 during the Edwardian era. During that time, the practice of wearing a black waistcoat and black bow tie with a dinner jacket became the trend, which formed the basis of the current black tie and white tie dress code. 

However, women did not play a significant leadership role in the corporate world then, so, men would be the ones to attend these events. As time went, the term black tie was synonymously used with a dress code for formal functions. Now an organisation that embraces cultural intelligence will be aware of the nuisances that are associated with the term and would change to be more inclusive. 

Thirdly, ensuring diversity in recruitment.

Culturally intelligent organisations will have CQ as one of its strategy pillars, to ensure that there is a golden thread that runs through every activity of the organisation, which includes recruitment and training. The recruitment team also needs to evaluate their biases towards certain ethnicity, tribes, and genders. 

Lastly, communication skills.

Organisational communication styles and tonality play a significant role in how employees feel about the organisation. It is vital that an organisation improves the way it communicates across the board, fostering a better understanding of different cultures. 

To conclude, Kim Ribbink says, “some workers don’t feel comfortable being singled out for praise in front of the entire employee group — a typical way to dish out praise in the U.S. For these workers, quiet praise in a private office is much preferred. In other cultures, employees don’t trust information that comes directly from the business owner. They would prefer to receive information from a more immediate supervisor for example”. 

I trust this column provided you with insight on how to apply CQ at your workplace. In next week’s edition, I will unpack components that make up CQ.

Morna Ikosa is a Senior Corporate Communications and Brand Reputation Strategist, CPRP, MA, AKA Fixer. To connect, send her a shout-out at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or find her on LinkedIn.

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Last modified on Thursday, 03 November 2022 19:04
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