Over the past couple of years I’ve been reading David Livermore’s books about cultural intelligence, or CQ as it is called. David has a knack for putting academic insights into readable form that make a complicated topic approachable. For instance, the first book of his that I read was “Serving With Eyes Wide Open” and it immediately went on the list of recommended books that I ask all PathLight International volunteers to read. I know the folks at The SOLD Project also utilize the book.
Subsequent books by Livermore about cultural leadership were excellent. They focused on the “why” and the “what” of CQ, providing the reader with insights into this growing field and its importance in a globalized world. As a Trustee at Westmont College, I’ve seen how important it is to have a developed CQ if you are going to operate effectively in the world. In fact, I’d argue that your education is incomplete without it.
Since having cross-cultural skills is a must in the world today, I was happy to hear that Livermore’s latest book is focused on the “how” of developing CQ. The Cultural Intelligence Difference is everything I would hope for: clear, concise, educational, and pragmatic.
One of the best parts about The Cultural Intelligence Difference is the online self-evaluation. Each book has a code to the designated website and it only takes 15-minutes or so to complete. When finished you get an overview of how you perceive your CQ skills and suggestions on how to improve upon them. The book and self-evaluation are based around the four different CQ capabilities:
CQ Drive
CQ Knowledge
CQ Strategy
CQ Action
It’s straightforward and offers achievable advice on how to improve in all categories.
I’m especially thankful for the section on exploring your own cultural identity. Seems to me that a lot of middle aged white guys (like me) are blind to our quirks; we think of ourselves as “normal” and everybody else as “different”. Without being abrasive or politically correct, Livermore gently tugs us to reconsider ourselves.
Another section talks about the importance of checklists and gives credit to Atul Gawande (whom I have written about before). I never thought of checklists as a tool for cultural awareness, but it makes a lot of sense.
Then there are the 17 words or phrases that everybody should learn before visiting a new country. Love that concept, and found it to be much more relevant than the words a typical tour book would offer.
Livermore writes in the opening, “Cross-cultural interactions are no longer the exclusive domain of Peace Corps workers, anthropologists, missionaries, and State Department diplomats.” And then at the end he writes, “The power of CQ lies in its ability to foster transformation.” I agree completely.
Whether you are in business, government, non-profit work, or simply wait tables in a diverse community, this book can be helpful. Actually, it would be hard for me to think of a person who wouldn’t benefit from this book!