Developing Cultural Intelligence
Although understanding the sociocultural environment and social value differences
is crucial, a person cannot expect to know everything necessary to be prepared
for every conceivable situation. Thus, in a multicultural environment,
leaders will be most successful if they are culturally fl exible and able to easily adapt
to new situations and ways of doing things. In other words, they need cultural
intelligence. Cultural intelligence (CQ) refers to a person’s ability to use reasoning and
observation skills to interpret unfamiliar gestures and situations and devise appropriate
behavioral responses.67