As millions of businesses operate across oceans, being knowledgeable of other cultures is more important than ever. 

By Andy Brough

New cross-cultural and global workplaces mean leaders can no longer ignore cultural intelligence. According to Statista, more than 358.7 million registered businesses are operating globally. Operating on a global scale means that leaders have to communicate cultural differences overseas while also conversing with people internally as their workforce expands. This paradigm presents leaders with opportunities to evaluate their current practices and continue to find ways to become inclusive in modern business. 

Some business leaders who thought they could ignore behavioral barriers and cultural differences and not foster cohesive working relationships internally and externally will find out that the opposite is true. Latest figures from the Global Culture Report 2026 show that teams that foster trust, belonging, and inclusive micro-cultures collectively create stronger and higher-performing organizations. An inclusive workplace brings new ideas and perspectives. When there are people from different cultures on a team, there’s more access to more diverse ways of thinking and problem-solving. 

More unique perspectives ultimately lead to increased creativity and new ideas. In this way, organizations gain an advantage over their competition and can become an innovative leader in the industry.  

There are four key components of “cultural intelligence (CQ)”:  

• “CQ Attitude” reflects openness to difference;  

• “CQ Awareness” involves understanding yourself;  

• “CQ Knowledge” is the ability to assess differences and their impact on collaboration, trust, and communication; and  

• “CQ Skills” refer to applying interpersonal abilities to work effectively in a multicultural organization 

To help companies introduce cultural intelligence, here are three simple, practical tips organizations can apply today to foster a unified and productive team environment. 

1. Research other cultures. Leaders need to start proactively trying to understand and learn about the different cultures in their organization, whether employees or external partners. It’s not optional. This could be from communication styles. For example, an indirect communication style, or high-context communication, is particularly seen in parts of Asia, where how something is said can mean much more than the actual content. 
2. Get curious and have open conversations. An effective way to start is by having an open mind about culture and getting curious. Initially, this can be done by searching the web or talking to people in the workplace. This cannot only help with becoming more aware of the team’s working behaviors but also more accepting of other cultures. This helps challenge personal biases, remove stereotypes, and foster empathy by understanding that different behaviors are often based on different cultural norms rather than being inherently wrong or unprofessional. 
   
3. Use intelligence tools. With less than one-third of employees feeling that leaders are committed to fostering cultural values, it is quickly realized that managers and teams are not equipped to address this kind of cultural challenge on their own. Many are great managers, but team culture is taken for granted except for isolated cases. To support managers and their teams, a cultural intelligence training platform can help bridge the gap and allow leaders to collaborate effectively with others, regardless of culture, countries, and borders. In essence, cultural intelligence training is to promote an inclusive environment. This begins with an awareness of your own cultural default and how you are powered by culture. Cultural intelligence training provides in-depth learning, insights, and guidance to give a real sense of how the culture is evolving in the organization and suggests issues to be addressed with appropriate action plans. Finally, it helps to overcome those potential barriers and issues flagged to create a thriving workplace.  

These techniques can help close the gap, demonstrate genuine motivation to learn from other cultures, and create real common ground to enable a more inclusive environment. When this occurs, understanding grows, and with it, the possibility for a stronger connection, trust, and partnership. 

Andy Brough is senior culture coach at Country Navigator.