This panel is about understanding cultural intelligence and making it part of the way you do business. Why does it matter?

Globalisation means that contact with people from different cultural backgrounds is part of everyday life. As individuals it’s important we manage these interactions well, but for a business operating in a global environment it’s imperative. Future competitiveness, innovation and profitability are all at stake.

This panel will give you a deeper appreciation of cultural intelligence and the value it adds to your performance. By this we don’t mean hints and tips on dealing with people in different cultures, rather we mean getting a better understanding of our own behaviours, knowledge and attitudes.

Psychological research tells us that cultures differ on a number of dimensions, the most obvious being symbols, heroes, and rituals. However, cultural values are more deep-seated and it takes particular skills, qualities and mindsets to adapt to and manage people in a diverse workforce.

• How do you get your people to think and act in the right way?
• What practical steps can you take to ingrain cultural intelligence in your business approach?

After an initial literature review of the topic, we’ll conduct research with panel members to identify cultural intelligence in its various guises, and look at how it can be developed. The result will be a practical toolkit and outline approaches you can confidently apply to develop cultural intelligence in your organisation.