Is your leadership model WEIRD?
Most Models on the topic of leadership tend to voice a perspective that is WEIRD: Western, Educated, Industrial, Rich, Democratic. In doing so, they often ignore the voices of those in the Majority World. It is important to develop a truly global approach to leadership for the twenty-first century—one that attends to the way in which diverse voices from across the world complement and correct one another. This global approach is grounded in Cultural Intelligence. Our global economy has changed our social economy which has redefined the way leaders interact with stakeholders, internal and external.
With increased connectivity across all companies and individuals, and with global collaboration becoming increasingly instrumental for business success, cultural intelligence - or cultural quotient - (CQ) has taken on a new significance.
In an innovation economy, leaders need to be culturally intelligent. The demographic changes of societies, including the make-up of the work force, require leaders to gain new skills and knowledge that help them to maintain an ideology of change and adaptation. To be competent in global cultures is no longer the norm; it is a requirement for leaders to cultivate their competence into cultural intelligence.
It is more than competence, which is having the abilities to function or develop in specific ways. It is about knowing how to use the abilities and making sense of them in cultural situations. CQ can be used to help leaders work through intercultural dilemmas and create understanding and awareness across and between cultures. In the new innovation economy, leaders must be familiar with the basic principles of intercultural interaction and communication, and they must be able to teach and pass on this knowledge to those they lead. In this way, leaders embrace and perform cultural intelligence in their daily lives.
Cultural intelligence is a crucial skill in today’s world. We are working and living in a multicultural community, acquiring a different set of perspectives, knowledge and skills is important in order to succeed. You need to be prepared to communicate and work with people from different backgrounds, generations, races and cultures. Gaining knowledge about other cultures is no longer optional. It is necessary in order to learn, understand and deal with different situations competently.
Sequor Consulting is happy to offer Cultural intelligence and inclusion training which transfers the foundation knowledge, skills, and mindsets required to work effectively with culturally diverse stakeholders and to foster culturally inclusive work settings. Contact us on agnes@sequor.biz or info@sequor.biz for more information. It will change the way your leadership team performs.
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