What’s your CQ? A thought leadership exploration of cultural intelligence in contemporary institutions of higher learning

Abstract

Globalizations’ impacts continue to permeate the present rhetorical moment in time. Impacts are evidenced in contemporary organizations across workforce internationalization, expanding market reach, and globalized competition. Subsequently, parallel increases in demand for individuals with intercultural competence manifest. Concurrently, universities face equitable attention provision to a tripartite mission of (a) knowledge creation, (b) student learning, and (c) the social charter. Cultural competencies’ critical role in contemporary organizations is clearly evidenced. The current thought leadership article explores organizational dynamics and influence variables including identity, transformational leadership, and organizational communication within institutions of higher education. The authors propose Cultural Intelligence (CQ) as an ideological platform to engage universities, business organizations, and students in meeting cultural competence development while remaining consistent with organizational business, academic, and social charter missions.