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.
More from David
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.
Cultural intelligence and the power of attention
10 Dec 2015
Giving undue attention to negative feelings shrinks your world and your breadth of perspective. Focus on the positive and you’ll expand your view. This is the power of attention. And in culturally diverse teams, it’s absolutely critical.
Dealing with a different sense of urgency
12 Nov 2015
One of the biggest frustrations when working across cultures is a different sense of urgency, follow-through, and deadlines. Whatever your relationship with time, here are some guidelines to address this challenge.
The dilemmas of a travelling white guy
20 Oct 2015
When I’m travelling, I’m routinely given the best places to sit in restaurants, granted access to exclusive lounges I haven’t paid for and escorted round queues simply because I’m a well-dressed, white American male.
What diversity matters most?
23 Sep 2015
Diversity of thought, work style, function and age are all important forms of difference. But not all diversity is equal. The two types of diversity that matter most are visible diversity and under-representation.
Racist comments, Facebook rants and cultural intelligence
14 Aug 2015
What should you do when you run up against friends, family members, colleagues or clients who make little effort to engage with others with any degree of cultural intelligence?
The business case for cultural intelligence
07 Jul 2015
Whether it’s expanding in emerging markets, avoiding an embarrassing cultural faux pas, or attracting best talent, the ability to work effectively across cultures addresses a burgeoning number of organizational concerns.
10 tips for negotiating across cultures
11 May 2015
Regardless of the cultural context, the objective in negotiation is to reach an agreement that mutually satisfies both parties’ interests. Accomplishing that across cultures requires a high level of cultural intelligence.
Is the problem cultural or something else?
16 Feb 2015
Cross-cultural communication can be fraught with difficulties. And few things demonstrate cultural intelligence more strongly than being able to tell when a problem is cultural and when it’s not - and then deciding how to respond.
Cultural intelligence in an age of terrorism
13 Jan 2015
There are no easy answers to the hatred and rage that drives someone to kill a fellow human begin in cold blood simply because they disagree with them. So what is a culturally intelligent response to the horrific events in Paris last week?
Respect is not enough
20 Oct 2014
I’m often asked, “isn’t cultural intelligence basically a matter of respect?” But the trouble is that we can’t always judge people's intent through their behavior. And moreover, the greater the cultural distance, the more likely your respect won’t be interpreted as such.
So I'm biased. Now what?
12 Sep 2014
We’re all biased. But an awareness of these biases doesn’t automatically lead to change or stop them creeping into everyday decisions. If you want to navigate through cultural situations with both respect and effectiveness, you need a plan to improve your cultural intelligence.