Introduction
America is a hodgepodge of cultural backgrounds, races, languages and cultural
traditions. Now more than ever, due to technological advances, we are getting to experience
more cultural backgrounds, traditions, languages, and even religions. We are exposed to so many
things, it is important to be mindful of how we handle ourselves when experiencing different
cultures. What is our aptitude to conduct ourselves in these situations called? According to the
Cultural Intelligence Center it is a term dubbed “Cultural Intelligence”. Cultural Intelligence or
CQ is “a person’s capability to function effectively in a variety of cultural contexts-both
internationally and domestically.”1
There are 4 primary CQ capabilities: CQ Drive which is your level of interest, persistence
and confidence in multicultural interactions, CQ Knowledge which is your understanding of
cultural similarities and differences, CQ Action, which is your adaptability when relating and
working in multicultural contexts and CQ Strategy which is your awareness and ability to plan
for multicultural interactions. We all have different ways that we deal with people of other
cultures, some are more prepared than others, and some need some work. Using this assessment
made by the Cultural Intelligence Center is a great way to evaluate ourselves and see we interact
with others, which then can help us with sharing the Gospel.
CQ Personal Evaluation
I am blessed to be able to work bi-vocationally as a music minister at our local Baptist
church, and as a banker. Being able to share the Gospel in all aspects of my life is extremely
1 “Cultural Intelligence Center – We Provide Research-Based, Innovative Solutions for
Assessing, Predicting, and Improving Cultural Intelligence (CQ).” 2019. Culturalq.com. 2019.
https://culturalq.com/.
important. In my tenure at the church, we have started a ministry that helps people buy gently
used clothes at .50 an item as well as a Spanish church. As a small farming community, we have
a variety of immigrants from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico and Venezuela.
Cultural understanding is important in this area, because you must be mindful of these families,
where they came from and don’t assume they are all from Mexico. It is important to not just
know language if you are able, but there are different idioms and dialects. Different cultures cook
different foods, and even celebrate differently.
When sharing the Gospel, education is important, especially knowing as much as you can
about the person or group of people you are sharing the Gospel with. Of the 4 capabilities, I
scored in the 98 th percentile in Drive, 82 in Knowledge, 84 in Strategy and 65 in Action.
CQ Drive
CQ Drive is my highest score amongst the assessment. It is contrived of 4
subdimensions: Drive Overall, Intrinsic Interest, Extrinsic Interest and Self Efficacy. Overall, I
achieved a score of 98. Intrinsic Interest, which is deriving enjoyment from culturally diverse
experiences, I received a 95. Extrinsic Interest, or gaining benefits from culturally diverse
experiences is 98, and self-efficacy which is having the confidence to be effective in culturally
diverse situations was also a score of 98. I believe these scores come from my time spent in the
military, not only being surrounded by cultural diversity, but also having the opportunity to
attend language school, taught by natives, and being culturally immersed. According to David
Livermore in his book Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The Real Secret to Success “Leaders
with high CQ Drive are motivated to learn and adapt to new and diverse cultural settings. Their
confidence in their adaptive abilities will influence the way they perform in multicultural
situations.”2 I am someone who does not shy away from new and diverse cultural settings. I am
not afraid to try new foods, or to try to speak any little part of the language. My goal is not just
learning but being able to share the Gospel. Though my drive markers are high, Livermore
makes some good points, including learning to be honest with myself. Livermore says we must
be honest about “facing the prejudices and biases we implicitly associate with certain groups of
people.”3
It is important to admit or understand our prejudices and biases so that we can work on
them, making effective, real connections with those that are different culturally, instead of just
surface relationships that are tainted by sin. We must live for something bigger and do the work
to be able to do so.
CQ Knowledge
CQ Knowledge, according to the report given by culturaliq.com is something that I
scored an overall 82 in. It is the degree to which we understand how culture influences how
people think, behave and the level of familiarity with how cultures are similar and different. 4
The knowledge sub-dimensions are business, which is knowledge about economic and
legal systems, which I scored an 82, values and norms which is knowledge about values, social
interaction norms and religious beliefs, a 75, Socio-Linguistic which is knowledge about
language and communication norms, which I scored a 92 and Leadership, knowledge about
managing people and relationships across cultures, which I scored a 77.
2 David Livermore, Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The Real Secret to Success, Second
Edition. (American Management Association, 2015), 43.
3 Ibid 49
4 “Cultural Intelligence Center – We Provide Research-Based, Innovative Solutions for
Assessing, Predicting, and Improving Cultural Intelligence (CQ).” 2019. Culturalq.com. 2019.
https://culturalq.com/.
Knowledge is something that I am aware that I scored lower on, honestly because when it
comes to things such as economic and legal systems, I lose interest. It is extremely important to
understand though, for myself and others that not everyone behaves like Americans, and some
countries and cultures far from it. According to Livermore there are six cultural systems that are
most relevant for leaders including economic, marriage and family, educational, legal and
political, religious and artistic.5 Understanding that our ways aren’t necessarily appealing to
others is something that is extremely important because we cannot reach others with being pure
American, but we reach others by having a general interest in how their way of life operates.
Think about a communist country vs a capitalist. Is it easy to share the gospel freely in China?
What would learning their language help with? Their systems? There is so much depth to
reaching others, no matter where they are because their experiences are so different than ours.
Livermore also goes on to point out Individualism vs Collectivism. Individualism, which
includes Anglo, Germanic European and Nordic European cultures have an emphasis on
individual goals and rights. Far right collectivists such as Arab and Latan American Asian and
African cultures are focused on emphasizing group goals and personal relationships. Group vs
Individuals. Knowing this teaches us how to bring the gospel to a group, or to and individual.
What would be most effective in a multi-cultural ministry?
Livermore says that “Leading with cultural intelligence requires adapting your leadership
style for various value orientations.”6
CQ Strategy
5 David Livermore, Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The Real Secret to Success, Second
Edition. (American Management Association, 2015), 43.
6 David Livermore, Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The Real Secret to Success, Second
Edition. (American Management Association, 2015), 105.
According to Livermore, “leaders with high CQ Strategy develop ways to use their
cultural understanding to develop plans for new intercultural situations.”7 My personal score
when it came to planning and verbal were quite low. According to the CQ report, I was at 73 on
planning and my CQ strategy overall was at an 84. I did score a 95 when it came to adjusting
mental maps when what we experience is different from what we expected. How do we approach
driving? That is something I didn’t even think about until reading the Livermore book. How do
their driving experiences change when coming to the States? A good way to improve on CQ
strategy is to do things such as plan cross cultural interactions and think about communications.
Self and others awareness is important. How are we going to develop a culturally
CQ Action
My lowest score overall was CQ Action. Leaders with a high CQ Action can draw on the
other 3capabilities of CQ to translate their enhanced motivation understanding and planning into
action. Livermore goes on to say they possess a broad repertoire of behaviors, which they can
use depending on the context. 8 My verbal for this category was at a 51 percent. In verbal, you
modify verbal behaviors, you modify accent and tone. Non-verbal such as facial expressions
were a little better at 62, speech acts 84 and overall action was at 65.0 This was eye opening.
Being bilingual, I would have thought I would know about tone and expression, but according to
this it could use some work.
CQ Development Plan
The challenges that I am currently facing in cultural settings have to do with watching
how I speak and interact with others. Regardless of what language I am speaking, I must think
7 Ibid 135
8 Ibid 155
about tone, dialect, expression and what is appropriate in the setting. Russians, for example are
much more serious than say someone who is quite jovial from Latin America. I do want to take
advantage of some multicultural opportunities in the future, such as traveling abroad and doing
an international mission trip. Though it is near impossible right now I would love to go to Russia
and sightsee and interact with the people in the regions. Knowing my Russian needs work, I
would not only brush up on the language but the cultural traditions. For example, women do not
wear pants in a Russian Orthodox church.
I would have to be mindful of my environment having any religious conversation, but if it
came up under a different circumstance, the Gospel could be discussed in a way that isn’t open
and obvious, but still proclaims the truths of what Jesus did for us. With the situation in our
world right now, I think the only way to be able to go would be under a teaching job, etc. but it is
something I am looking forward to in the future.
Cross Culture and Community Engagement
As I previously stated, where I live there is a diverse group of Latin American culture. I
have the opportunity to interact with them on a regular basis, working at a bank on the 1st and the
15th when they come to cash their paychecks. Though none of them speak English and my
Spanish is not very good, there is still a chance to interact through nonverbal communication
such as body language, smiling and tone of voice. It is hard to not act hurriedly when they do
arrive because there is a large amount of farm employees that do come cash their checks.
Learning about CQ it has helped me to be mindful of how I do interact with these families as I
see them in the bank, grocery store and our ministry the Good News Clothes Closet.
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