Leadership: The importance of ‘Cultural Intelligence’

A few weeks ago, I participated in an interesting webinar discussing cultural intelligence in sports. This is obviously an area, I’ve dealt with in my daily work in China 10.000km away from my birth country Denmark, but also ‘far, far away’ when we discuss cultural issues.

At some of my speeches this week in Denmark; we have also had some interesting debates about the importance of using cultural intelligence in your leadership and management.

My reflections after 4 years in China is not only how we understand the culture we work in. It’s much more complicated than that. We need to be way more accurate and ‘cultural detailed’ to make a succession planning in the strategy for the club / organization, we work for.

How to Manage the Unmanageable?

*Adapt or adjust?

*Respect or force?

*Accept or change?

My cultural intelligence philosophy (after 4 years in China):
“You have 0 % chance of succeeding without adjusting, respecting and accepting the culture of the country, business and/or organization (club), you work for”.

With the quote above my point are you must create a cultural intelligence strategy to succeed working in different country and club / organization. If not - the risk of failing is growing massively.