University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
Cultural Intelligence
Book

Cultural Intelligence

A Guide to Working with People from Other Cultures

Brooks Peterson
Intercultural Press, 2004
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Editorial Rating

7

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  • Applicable

Recommendation

Imagine a guidebook that helps you navigate the uncharted lands of strange cultures or, at least, cultures that seem strange to you. Author Brooks Peterson is less concerned with social advice than he is with explaining how to manage broad cultural differences and avoid cultural egocentrism. While he soundly reviews measures of cultural differences, such as cultural scales, he avoids delving into complex, abstract theories with little practical application. His clearly written book treats all cultures objectively, covering broad tendencies without venturing into cultural generalities. He alerts you to the nuances of other cultures and your own. getAbstract strongly recommends this book to anyone who interacts with the values of other cultures on a regular basis - and, these days, that’s just about everybody.

Summary

How is Your Cultural Intelligence?

You’ve heard of “EQ,” a measure of emotional intelligence, and of course “IQ,” which gauges intellectual potential. But what about “CQ?” Cultural intelligence, especially for those who seek to do business in the global marketplace, is every bit as important. Having EQ or IQ does not guarantee that you will demonstrate capable cultural intelligence in your interactions with those whose notions, beliefs and behaviors seem “a world away” from yours.

Even if you’ve never traveled abroad, you interact with foreign cultures virtually daily. Look at the people you work with, live near, do business with, sell to and buy from. If you notice a growing cultural diversity, well, of course, welcome to the real world. Increasingly, you experience the cultures of other lands without leaving home.

Worldwide exports have consistently increased during the past 50 years. Today, about one in five U.S. jobs is tied to exports. Whether you’re living abroad on a foreign assignment, or interacting with people from abroad, understanding those who see the world through different cultural lenses from your own is now a critical business skill.

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About the Author

As founder of Across Cultures Inc., an international consulting firm serving global business, Brooks Peterson is the creator of a variety of tools designed to assist business leaders focused on the global marketplace. Peterson is an experienced cross-cultural trainer. He developed the widely used "Peterson Cultural Style Indicator."

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