David Livermore
David Livermore is a thought leader in cultural intelligence (CQ) and global leadership and the author of "Leading with Cultural Intelligence". He is president and partner at the Cultural Intelligence Center in East Lansing, Michigan and a visiting research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
Communication differences on diverse teams
17 May 2023
Differences in communication styles can be a constant source of conflict on diverse teams. Understanding these differences is key to building trust, avoiding misunderstandings and leading more effectively.
Leadership advice you should ignore
14 Apr 2023
So much advice to leaders and entrepreneurs is ill suited to leading in today's digital, diverse world. It often includes kernels of truth, but much of it needs a major rethink, starting with these.
Five questions culturally intelligent leaders ask themselves everyday
20 Mar 2023
While cultural intelligence (CQ) needs to inform big picture strategic and operational issues, where it really comes to life is in the everyday practices of a leader.
The power of figured worlds
17 Feb 2023
Figured worlds - the social contexts where we feel most comfortable - are everywhere. They might be countries, racial groups, fashions, friend groups or religions - and we underestimate their power at our peril.
How culturally intelligent leaders make decisions
14 Nov 2022
What does culturally intelligent decision-making look like for today's global leader? It's certainly not as simple as "just make a decision."
How to build trust on a diverse team
05 Sep 2022
Diverse teams have a harder time trusting each other than homogeneous teams do. Here are three evidence-based ways to go about building that trust.
The leadership trust crisis
08 Jul 2022
Across the world, trust in leadership is at an all-time low. But global leaders also need to be mindful that many approaches to rebuilding trust are biased toward Western values.
How to talk about the elephant in the room
02 Jun 2022
Knowing how to identify and constructively address unresolved conflict in different cultural situations is a key skill for global leaders.
Presenting to diverse audiences
28 Mar 2022
Presentation skills are a critical part of being an effective leader. But the more diverse your audience, the more you have to plan ahead and adjust the way you present.
What is a 'global' leader?
24 Jan 2022
'Global leadership' is one of those fancy terms that gets used in glossy consulting reports and EMBA marketing briefs. But what does it actually mean?
The biggest source of conflict on diverse teams
13 Dec 2021
Clashing expectations are the main source of conflict in almost any relationship. And nowhere is that more true than with the intercultural challenges of diverse teams.
The culturally intelligent team
18 Aug 2021
It's harder to get things done on a diverse team. But with moderate to high levels of cultural intelligence, diverse teams can outperform homogeneous teams in a number of important ways.
Cultural intelligence and competing with robots
23 Mar 2021
The dystopian view of a future overrun by robots forgets that the human brain gives us some things technology cannot compete with, namely our ability to adapt and create.
The group excluded from diversity programs
18 Nov 2020
The US is a divided nation, in part because many working class individuals believe progressives and diversity advocates have compassion for everyone - except them. Might they be right?
We're in a crisis! Why can't we all just get along?
19 Aug 2020
Even faced by a global pandemic, we don't seem able to bridge our tribal divides and leverage our differences to find solutions, rather than using them to further destroy us.
When is it appropriate to yell at someone? Depends on where you’re from!
02 Jan 2020
There's a wide variation in what we deem as 'appropriate' ways to express frustration. At the heart of this is the difference between Neutral and Affective behavior - differences that can quickly lead to profound misunderstandings.
How to tell if you're mansplaining
17 Sep 2019
Are mansplaining and its close cousin, whitesplaining, real things or are they just more pop psychology terms? David Livermore interviews Dr Amy Heaton to find out.
Are all white people privileged?
01 Jul 2019
You can’t have an honest conversation about cultural intelligence without addressing 'white privilege', the idea that white people inherit certain privileges simply by the color of their skin. But this isn't an easy thing to discuss.
What's the answer? It depends
18 Apr 2019
I’ve gained a reputation for being the “It depends” guy. When fielding questions during a presentation on cultural intelligence, my default response is “It depends!” Let me explain why.
Why you need to stop teaching about cultural differences
20 Dec 2018
Far from building real cultural intelligence, teaching people about cultural differences actually leads to stereotyping and perpetuating bias rather than building real understanding.
Emotional intelligence doesn't translate
24 Sep 2018
Emotions are universal. But the ways in which different cultures express them are not. So what’s considered appropriate in one culture could get you in trouble if blindly applied to colleagues and friends elsewhere.
Culture fit vs. authenticity
18 Jun 2018
Authenticity - being yourself - can sometimes collide with organizational values. So how far should any of us be expected to give up our authentic preferences for the sake of an organizational purpose?
More from David
Seven ways to assess your perspective taking
12 Mar 2018
You can’t motivate people or negotiate effectively without perspective taking - being able to step outside our own experience and consider something from another person’s point of view.
Charlottesville, Google, and why some need CQ more than others
21 Aug 2017
Cultural intelligence is about how the 7 billion human beings on this planet get along together. So whether it's at home or at work, we all need CQ. But some of us need it much more than others.
A white guy's humble advice to black professionals
16 May 2017
Companies are chasing diverse candidates. But how can those candidates use cultural intelligence to help them find the kind of employer who will include their perspectives as a critical part of their strategy rather than using them to up their diversity counts?
Boredom, smartphones and cultural intelligence
13 Apr 2017
Moments of boredom free up our mind to think creatively. But who has time to be bored these days? Most people seem to be glued to their smartphones whenever there’s a moment to spare.
Productive conversations to build cultural intelligence
21 Feb 2017
How do we engage in productive dialogue with people who have very different perspectives from our own? The many conversations I’ve had since the U.S. election have given me some ideas.
Emotional differences across cultures
12 Dec 2016
Different cultures appear to have very different ways of showing emotion and managing feelings. But in reality we all have much more in common than meets the eye when it comes to how we handle some key human emotions.
Weird, rude, or different?
07 Nov 2016
Cross-cultural encounters can sometime be very awkward. Here are a few suggestions for a culturally intelligent way to respond to those difficult cross-cultural situations.
Overcoming diversity fatigue
16 Sep 2016
Too many diversity initiatives fail because they’re based on a punitive, ‘shame on you’ posture. What we need is a strategic, hope-filled approach emphasizing what we all gain from more diverse and inclusive workplaces and communities.
How stress can lower your cultural intelligence
23 Aug 2016
Working with people from a diverse range of backgrounds is rewarding, but it can also be tough going. And the more you’re under stress, the harder it becomes and the more a small behavioral difference can become a major irritation.
Measuring and improving cultural intelligence
01 Aug 2016
The research behind cultural intelligence (CQ) continues to expand. Here are some of the highlights along with some useful books and video clips for diving in further or introducing them to others.
Adapt, but don’t overdo it
18 May 2016
Fusion cooking is a great metaphor for bringing out the best from a multicultural team because it combines ingredients from different cultural traditions while preserving distinct cultural flavors and traditions.
When does cultural immersion go too far?
18 Apr 2016
I’m a big advocate of getting to know a culture up close and moving beyond surface-level encounters. But I’m beginning to think that I ought to give up some of the cultural experiences I’d like to have because they may do more harm than good.