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WHERE CAN YOU GO, AND WHAT CAN YOU DO, WITHOUT CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE?
Think local, act global! Especially in business. This is Geert Hofstede’s suggestion - in complete contrast to IBM’s previous think global and act local motto – making us aware of the fact that no one can think ‘largely’, globally, as we all are anchored to and confined within our own local contexts. We understand the ‘signs’ (words, gestures, drawings, objects…), narratives, stories and chronicles (with their characters and heroes ) because they talk about us, to us as part of a certain context and they inspire us and give special meaning to our actions, discussions and decisions (even beyond our own intentions and awareness). Cultures are made up of values. The first things that a child learns, often not consciously but indirectly, are values. Many Development Psychologists believe that tenyear olds already have their value systems in place and it is difficult to change them after this age. And it is precisely because they are acquired at such a young age that many values remain subconscious. They cannot be ‘put into words’ or, therefore, put under discussion by the person who, often, is fully unaware that he is being driven by a set of reference values. In most cases they can only be deduced through how people act in different situations, how they confront, discuss, qualify and resolve situations contrary to the values given.
Cultural Intelligence help us to recognise the reference values which guide, inspire and influence other people’s behaviour. Cultural intelligence, like anthropology in general, introduces us to important dimensions not only in terms of understanding and analysis of the world in which we live, but also directly in terms of management and business development. This is the key that allows us to ‘listen’ and understand habits, behaviour, contexts and markets that are different to ours - especially if we work in international-level companies and organisations, if we are part of work groups with different conceptions of service, teamwork, hierarchy, time, quality, etc..
Cross-cultural intelligence is necessary for effective global business. You need the ability to really ‘get to grips’ with the local context and thought processes: realising that our messages mean what the receiver perceives them to mean, which may be totally different
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to how we intend (the receiver, not the sender, defines communication). What we need are ways of thinking and acting that help us understand and get on with the many peculiarities, contrasts and singularities that characterise the numerous local markets of our increasingly-global world. The culturewheel can be a useful tool for this very reason: referring to it in those situations in which we are face to face with cultures that are different from our own will help us develop our cultural intelligence.
Fernando Salvetti - Anthropologist and Executive Trainer. Managing partner of LKN. Professor of Cultural Intelligence at LUISS Business School in Rome, Executive Master in Business Administration (EMBA). Professor of Communication at the University of Milan “Bicocca�, Master in Sustainability and Communication of the Science (MACSIS).