Cultural Intelligence (CQ)

Cultural Intelligence, or CQ®, is a globally recognized way of assessing and improving effectiveness in culturally diverse situations. It’s rooted in rigorous, academic research conducted across more than 100 countries and it’s being used by leading companies, universities, and governments around the world.For years, the case has been that more diversity equals improved organisational performance, but you can’t expect diverse groups to work together effectively and improve performance if they lack the skills to do so. Cultural intelligence (CQ) is the foundation and strategic link that ensures your DEI efforts lead to meaningful and sustainable results. The same holds true for any attempt to create an equitable and inclusive organisational culture.

Everyone has their own definition of DEI. We broadly define it as any organisational effort to increase diverse representation and create inclusive, equitable environments. More specifically, we define each of the areas as follows:

Diversity

Working to increase the representation of difference at every level of the organisation.

Equity

Actively challenging and responding to individual and systemic biases, behaviours, policies and practices to ensure that everyone has fair access to opportunities.
Inclusion – Fostering an environment where people with different identities experience feeling welcomed, valued and leveraged.

Culture

According to the 2016 Australian Census, 75% of the population identified with an ancestry other than Australian, around 26% of the population were born in another country, and 19% of overseas-born Australians were born in non-English speaking countries. In all, Australians come from over 200 birthplaces.

Cultural intelligence (CQ) is a critical competency that enables us to relate and work effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds; including ethnic, generational and workplace cultures. It goes beyond existing notions of cultural sensitivity and awareness. With cultural intelligence, you’ll know how to best utilise the diversity that makes up your workforce to fully engage everyone.

Organisational culture can support high engagement, loyalty, innovation and motivation when it is healthy. Unhealthy organisational culture is characterised by low trust, conflict, high turnover and a lowest common denominator approach to effort. People talk about cultural shift as if it were simple. Culture shift requires a deep awareness of the elements that make up the group dynamic partnered with an understanding of what people fundamentally want and need to live fulfilled and healthy lives. Leadership influence is key, but so is a commitment to healthy teams and organisational processes that support the whole.

Leadership Journey can support you to understand and articulate your organisational culture and to train and equip leaders enabling them to shape a healthy workplace.

We work with individuals, teams and across the organisation to assess for cultural health and Cultural Intelligence to support cross-cultural skills, engaged teams and healthy organisational culture.