Just as the recent “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse fascinated people across cultures, bringing diverse groups together can lead to awe-inspiring outcomes in business. The workforce today is wonderfully diverse. We collaborate with people from all walks of life, with unique backgrounds and perspectives. This diversity drives innovation – but only when we embrace it with empathy and curiosity.
Cultural intelligence (CQ) is the ability to connect and work effectively across all kinds of cultures and differences. It starts with understanding our own lenses. Self-awareness allows us to appreciate where others are coming from.
Eclipses were once feared, their meaning dependent on one’s limited cultural lens. When we make assumptions or cling to ethnocentric views, we also remain in the dark about the value of diversity.
Imagine a team with Kai, a non-binary engineer, Noah, a working dad from Germany, and Isabella a young immigrant. Kai values efficiency and uses technical language. Noah tends toward consensus-building and work-life balance. Isabella is eager to prove herself and likes informality.
By understanding their backgrounds, we can appreciate their diversity. Kai moves discussions along rapidly. Noah ensures everyone is aligned before decisions. Isabella contributes energetic ideas.
Their CQ allows smooth collaboration. Kai explains technical details in understandable ways. Noah schedules inclusive brainstorms. Isabella asks for guidance when she needs it. Together their differences drive innovation. And they know a truly inclusive culture leverages each person’s unique strengths.
With openness we can illuminate each other’s experiences. We start to appreciate how diverse thinking styles, like the interplay of light and dark during an eclipse, create something beautiful when united.
The key is balance. With empathy and adaptability, we can find common ground without expecting anyone to sacrifice who they are. This mutual understanding is the heart of cultural intelligence in today’s diverse world. Each gives a little to gain a lot in team cohesion.
Boost your own CQ with these steps:
- Take this quick CQ assessment1 – rate yourself on observing, adapting, and bridging across cultures.
- Explore your personal blindspots2– it takes honesty and open-mindedness, but it builds self-awareness to better understand colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
Just as cycles of light and shadow are the nature of our universe, diversity is the nature of humanity. By embracing all perspectives with cultural intelligence, we can catalyze innovation.
Activity: Appreciating Our Diverse Perspectives
Have an uplifting discussion about valuing diversity and building cultural intelligence (CQ) on your team.
Instructions:
- Reflect individually on what shapes your perspective. What experiences and cultures make you who you are?
- In pairs or small groups, share stories and discuss questions like:
- What unique strengths does our diversity offer?
- How can we honor each person’s communication needs?
- What could we do to better understand and connect with each other?
- Come together and have each group share their ideas for building understanding. Look for common themes and actionable next steps.
- Close by having each person name one way they’ll contribute to a more inclusive team culture.
Tips:
- Focus the conversation on empathy and realizing the benefits of your diversity.
- Explore differences with curiosity rather than judgment.
- Identify changes that draw out each person’s talents.
- Reinforce that openness strengthens teams.
Having constructive conversations about diversity and CQ builds stronger, more empathetic teams. Give this exercise a try at your next team meeting!
References
- Common Purpose. (n.d.). Test your cultural intelligence. Common Purpose. https://commonpurpose.org/resources/free-tools/cq-test
↩︎ - Tsiamis, H. (2023, May 18). Unveiling the veil: Overcoming blind spots for a life of clarity and growth. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unveiling-veil-overcoming-blind-spots-life-clarity-growth-tsiamis/
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