Is CQ ® the new IQ ?
Last issue ’ s Briefing pages provided an introduction to cultural quotient and we promised we ’ d be back with more this time . So , time to explore the term further and take note of Thom Dennis ’ tips for EAs on how to develop your own cultural intelligence
THE EXPERT
Thom Dennis is CEO of culture integration and change specialists , Serenity in Leadership , and a CQ Certified Facilitator .
Have you heard of cultural quotient ( CQ ®, a registered trademark of the Cultural Intelligence Center ) or cultural intelligence ? Even if you haven ’ t , as a high-level EA you ’ ll most likely embody it !
CQ is said to help us understand the decisions people and organisations make , and how they are influenced by their beliefs , attitudes , and values . It assesses far beyond simple cultural sensitivity and awareness – it is a globally recognised measure of how good we are at understanding cultural differences , such as nationality , ethnicity , culture , location , gender and age .
Increasingly seen as far more valuable than IQ ( intelligence quotient ), and of equal importance in business to its counterpart emotional intelligence ( EQ ), because of its proven exponential positive impact on improved teamwork , performance , cooperation and communication , CQ could be the EA ’ s 2022 buzzword .
Thom Dennis , CEO of culture integration and change specialists , Serenity in Leadership , believes that CQ is more important than IQ , and building a team rich in CQ is the future for all successful organisations .
He says : “ Culturally intelligent organisations establish better trust , tolerance and understanding , both internally and externally . They are more capable of working well across cultures because they understand the impact of cultural background in terms of both an individual ’ s and group ’ s behaviour which is essential for good business . These businesses will enjoy the benefits of both better productivity , diversity , negotiation skills , recruitment and performance , as well as reduced talent loss , bias and conflict .”
CQ assesses far beyond simple cultural sensitivity and awareness and is a globally recognised measure of how good we are at understanding cultural differences including ,
54 Executive PA | Winter Issue 2022