Cultural Intelligence for Harnessing Diversity

Understanding and Overcoming Cultural Barriers in the Workplace

Ritika Wadhwa explores the critical role of cultural intelligence in harnessing diversity, addressing the complexities of identity, and driving impactful change through informed and empathetic leadership.

In this thought-provoking episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood is joined by Ritika Wadhwa to explore the profound concept of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and its pivotal role in harnessing diversity. Ritika, an expert in global diversity strategies, sheds light on the importance of CQ in business and personal interactions, highlighting key strategies for understanding and navigating variegated cultural landscapes. They delve into how CQ can aid not just in business survival but in thriving by advancing understanding and collaboration across diverse groups.

Ritika Wadhwa, originally from India, is the CEO and founder of Prabhaav Global, working with multinational organisations in places like Dubai, Hong Kong, and Singapore to improve their cultural intelligence and strategic expansion. Her compelling journey as an ethnic minority, immigrant, and female founder shapes her profound insights into the essence of inclusivity and the powerful impact of cultural competence in leadership and business dynamics. With her extensive experience, Ritika imparts critical understanding and actionable knowledge that drives major organisations toward effective inclusivity and diversity management.

Throughout the episode, Joanne and Ritika discuss practical ways in which leaders can cultivate cultural intelligence to foster an inclusive environment that respects and values individual differences. They touch upon the fundamental capabilities of CQ, including motivation (CQ drive), understanding (CQ knowledge), strategy (CQ strategy), and action (CQ action), emphasizing their role in transforming intentions into impactful inclusivity actions. The dialogue also explores the historical underpinnings of cultural conflicts and the modern-day implications of those dynamics in corporate and social settings.

Their conversation provides invaluable insights into why understanding and embracing cultural diversity is crucial not just for business leaders but for anyone looking to make a meaningful difference in a globalized world. By the end of the episode, listeners are equipped with the necessary tools to start implementing cultural intelligence in their daily lives and professional endeavors.

A key takeaway of this episode is the transformative power of cultural intelligence in driving innovation and inclusivity within global contexts, making it an indispensable skill in today's interconnected world. Listeners are encouraged to harness the depth of cultural insights shared in this discussion to enhance their interpersonal relationships and professional interactions. Subscribe to Inclusion Bites to continue exploring how diversity and inclusion shape our world.

 

Published: 22.08.2024 Recorded: 29.04.2024 Duration: 1:01:35

 

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Clips and Quotes

Transforming Intent into Impact: “And what I was most interested in is to hold people, leaders more specifically, accountable from moving from intent to impact.”
— Ritika Wadhwa [00:04:22 → 00:04:31]

Understanding Cultural Intelligence: “People fear each other because they don’t know each other, and this fear sits at that if we can level up and increase the knowledge about the communities, the groups, those parts of society that we’re not familiar with, that we don’t know much about.”
— Ritika Wadhwa [00:08:31 → 00:10:14]

Navigating Cultural Intelligence: “One of the biggest backlash I get is whenever I talk about religion. It is it it divides more than any other facet of humanity.”
— Ritika Wadhwa [00:11:50 → 00:11:56]

Leadership in the Digital Age: “There’s innumerable resources out there. There is no excuse for a leader now to say I don’t know about this because we’ve got the Internet.”
— Ritika Wadhwa [00:19:25 → 00:19:33]

Cultural Assimilation and Gratitude: “It was so ingrained in us that everything white is so good that just to be part, just to get a job and work with white people, I felt grateful.”
— Ritika Wadhwa [00:25:04 → 00:25:14]

Colonial Legacy and Economic Shifts: “Because India, economically, is doing better than the UK right now.”
— Ritika Wadhwa [00:29:53 → 00:30:00]

Cultural Training Controversies: “And he was sent to Malaysia with the specific purpose of training Malaysian women to become more assertive. I mean, where do you start from that? Right? It’s just what does assertiveness mean? In what context? How is it expressed? And why is why is it that if it’s expressed differently, that’s not okay and that they you need training.”
— Ritika Wadhwa [00:42:19 → 00:42:39]

Cultural Perception in Global Interactions: “What I’m thinking, everything that is the dominant way of doing things isn’t necessarily the only way of doing thing.”
— Ritika Wadhwa [00:42:54 → 00:43:01]

Legacy of Partition: “So literally, one person took the map of that was all of India and drew a line across it going through farms and railway tracks and people’s properties and all of that and go, this is Pakistan, this is India.”

— Ritika Wadhwa [00:48:37 → 00:48:51]

Activism and Personal Experience: “It’s interesting though because, you know, again, if you’re if you’re completely privileged and you haven’t ever felt what it’s like to be marginalized, discriminated, bullied, harassed, hurt, or that people you love have been hurt because of just who they are, then it’s so hard to to stay curious or want to do something about it.”
— Ritika Wadhwa [00:55:05 → 00:55:26]

Definition of Terms Used

Cultural Intelligence (CQ)

• Definition: Cultural Intelligence is the capability to relate and work effectively in culturally diverse situations. It encompasses understanding one’s own cultural identity and the cultural identities of others to navigate interactions effectively.
• Relevance: As businesses and societies become more globalised, being culturally intelligent is crucial for fostering collaboration, avoiding misunderstandings, and enhancing communication within diverse environments.
• Examples: Adapting business strategies to suit different cultural norms, customizing communication styles when interacting with international clients, and implementing diverse and inclusive workplace policies.
• Related Terms: Cultural competence, global mindset, intercultural awareness, cross-cultural communication.
• Common Misconceptions: Cultural intelligence is often assumed to be a natural skill among people who travel widely; however, it requires deliberate learning, exposure, and education about different cultures beyond personal tourism experiences.

Dehumanisation

• Definition: Dehumanisation is the act of denying the humanity of others, often by viewing or treating them as if they are less than human or lacking in human qualities.
• Relevance: Recognising and addressing dehumanisation is essential in promoting human rights and fostering inclusive societies, especially in preventing conflicts and promoting reconciliation in the post-conflict societies.
• Examples: Using derogatory language or slurs that degrade a particular group, implementing policies that limit certain groups’ access to healthcare, education, and other necessities.
• Related Terms: Racism, sexism, discrimination, xenophobia.
• Common Misconceptions: Some believe that dehumanisation only occurs in extreme cases, such as during wars or in genocides; however, it can also be subtle and institutionalized in daily interactions and social structures.

Educating Leaders

• Definition: Educating leaders involves equipping those in positions of power with the knowledge, skills, and sensitivities to foster inclusivity and effectively manage diverse teams in an equitable manner.
• Relevance: As workplaces and societies become increasingly diverse, having educated leaders ensures better decision-making that respects and values all group contributions, ultimately leading to improved organizational outcomes.
• Examples: Diversity and inclusion training sessions for executives, workshops on unconscious bias and its impacts on decision-making, leadership retreats focused on building empathy and understanding across different cultures.
• Related Terms: Leadership development, diversity training, inclusive management practices.
• Common Misconceptions: There’s often a belief that leadership skills are innate and cannot be taught, which undermines the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in leadership roles.

Colonial Influence

• Definition: Colonial influence refers to the impact, both historically and presently, that colonial rule has had on the social, economic, and political fabric of colonized nations.
• Relevance: Understanding the effects of colonial influence helps in addressing and overcoming various contemporary issues related to identity, economic disparity, and systemic inequality in post-colonial societies.
• Examples: The influence of the English language in India, economic policies favouring certain groups over others, the drawing of arbitrary national boundaries in Africa and Asia.
• Related Terms: Post-colonialism, imperialism, historical trauma.
• Common Misconceptions: It is commonly misunderstood that the effects of colonialism are a thing of the past; however, many social and economic structures are still influenced by those historical interactions.

Assertiveness in Cultural Context

• Definition: Assertiveness in cultural context refers to how the expression or perception of assertiveness is influenced by cultural norms and values. It looks at how different cultures interpret and value assertive behaviour.
• Relevance: Understanding this concept is pivotal in international business and multicultural environments where interaction norms vary widely, and what is considered assertive in one culture may be seen as aggressive or rude in another.
• Examples: In some Western cultures, speaking directly and forthrightly is valued as assertive, while in many Eastern cultures, such directness may be frowned upon in favour of a more indirect and harmonious approach.
• Related Terms: Communication styles, intercultural communication, cultural norms.
• Common Misconceptions: It is often mistakenly believed that being assertive is universally understood and appreciated, ignoring the significant variations in how assertiveness is expressed and received across different cultural landscapes.

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Brought to you by your host

Joanne Lockwood SEE Change Happen

A huge thank you to our wonderful guest

Ritika Wadwha Prabhaav Global