I recently had the pleasure of gaining certification as a Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Facilitator. CQ is a globally recognised, evidence-based capability that goes beyond cultural sensitivity and awareness to provide an effective research-backed approach to improving the way individuals adapt, work and relate across cultures and culturally diverse situations.
The benefits of CQ in business include increased effectiveness, speed and efficiency in multicultural and/or global teams, and ultimately, success in culturally diverse markets. As testament to this, CQ is used as a recruitment and development tool among management and employees within organisations as diverse as global healthcare company Novartis, world airline representatives the International Air Transport Association, Harvard University in the USA, and Qatar Airlines.
While there are many measures of cross-cultural intelligence, this certification focusses only on the only scale to have withstood a high degree of validation across multiple settings and contexts. The scale and certification is administered by the Cultural Intelligence Centre, drawing on 20 years of peer-reviewed empirical studies on over 125,000 individuals across 100+ countries.
I see this rigor as a unique and genuine asset for organisations and individuals considering how best to make their way in an increasing globalised world. Combined with my understanding of the wider research around cross-cultural competences and my international business experience, my CQ certification gives me a valuable set of tools to facilitate the development of cultural intelligence amongst others. I look forward to applying what I have learned in my role as a Sessional Academic at QUT, in particular as Coordinator for the units AMB120 Bridging Cultures and AMB390 Bridging Cultures (International).
