Forget IQ and EQ, for today's global leaders CQ, Cultural Intelligence, is the essential attribute for achieving business goals. Increasingly leaders in public, private and NGO sectors are working together across continents and diverse cultures to achieve single aims.
This book is not about 'diversity' in the recent sense of the word; a legal trip wire to be avoided or a buzzword for appearing unbiased. Cultural intelligence is about understanding the beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviours of a group of people and applying that knowledge to achieve specific goals.
In the book, Julia Middleton proposes that business solutions put forward by teams made up of people from different backgrounds will out-perform those from homogenous teams. But crucially only if the team is led by someone who possesses a high CQ.
This practical book will cover why CQ matters, what happens when leaders don't possess cultural intelligence and includes a self-assessment mechanism for leaders to assess and develop their CQ quotient.
Julia's proposition will be checked, tested and developed by interviewing business leaders from around the world. These interviews will also form the basis for a series of unique case studies included in the book ? essential reading for leaders everywhere.
Industry Reviews
Julia Middleton has written a book about something that she and Common Purpose have been quietly practising everywhere they go: Cultural Intelligence, or CQ. To me, it is entirely fitting that Julia should take an idea and explore it with a whole variety of leaders from all over the world. Because, right from the start, Common Purpose has embodied what CQ stands for. * Ron Arculli, Senior Partner, King & Wood Mallesons, Hong Kong, in his Foreword to Cultural Intelligence *
In our ever more complex and interconnected world which has no obvious historical parallel, Julia Middleton has developed a breakthrough idea about the importance of Cultural Intelligence in order to both navigate this new world and its contradictions. This book has important implications and raises questions about our current systems for those of us involved in educating and developing our future global citizens. * Rakesh Khurana, Dean, Harvard College *
In an age of unprecedented connectedness and shifting certainties, many of us spend our time moving between different worlds without fully adhering to any single cultural identity. This book makes you realise what a gift that is, and how to make the most of it. A must-read for young people entering today's global job-market. -- Riz Ahmed * actor and musician *
The world is changing. The role of the powerful, intelligent network is greater than ever, but they only really come alive, they only really catch fire, when leadership and Julia's idea of Cultural Intelligence hits them. -- Sir Alan Parker * Chairman, Brunswick Group *
Julia Middleton's discovery of Cultural Intelligence shockingly confronts us with our daily ignorance. Paradoxically, the more you realise this, the more CQ you have. A must-read for all leaders who care as much about integrity and diversity as impact. -- Frank Trumper * Managing Director, Baden-Baden Entrepreneur Talks (BBUG) *
You need this book if you feel steeped in your own world and know that you must look outwards. It is not an easy thing to do; it takes both courage and humility to be global when your roots are very local, or to work with bureaucrats if you only have experience in the private sector. This book will help us all wherever we are in the world. -- Mr Narayana N.R. Murthy * Executive Chairman, Infosys Technologies Limited *
