Everyone has heard of the intelligence quotient (IQ), many have heard of the emotional quotient (EQ), but fewer are familiar with the cultural quotient (CQ). They should though, because CQ matters. Especially for globally mobile people and expats. Having a high CQ means you are able to understand, adapt to, and work in different cultural contexts.

When we move abroad, everything is new: the language, the food, behaviors, work culture. Coming to grips with those differences can be challenging. Having (or training) one’s CQ can help facing those challenges head-on and adapting well in the host culture.

This article will take a look at what exactly cultural intelligence is and why training it is important for expats. We will also learn a bit more about the four pillars of CQ and check out some real-life examples of CQ in action. Tips for strengthening cultural intelligence and the role HR can play in supporting CQ development in the company’s expats will round out our overview.

What is Cultural Intelligence (CQ)?

Academia defines cultural intelligence as “an individual's capacity to function and manage effectively in culturally diverse settings” (Ang et al., 2007). But CQ goes further than mere cultural awareness, as it focuses on how people can operate within and succeed in other cultures or culturally diverse surroundings. CQ skills include the perception of cultural differences, the ability to adjust one’s behavior, and decision-making that takes into account cultural nuances. All of these are vital for success in globalized and multicultural work environments.

CQ is measured in four dimensions, or pillars:

• Cognitive CQ

• Emotional CQ

• Motivational CQ

• Behavioral CQ

We will have a deeper look at those four pillars in the section The 4 Pillars of CQ and How Expats Can Develop Them (Further).

While the pillars that make up cultural intelligence may be more or less developed in an individual, they are not innate traits that one has or does not have. Rather, they are skills that can be learned, developed, and perfected.

CQ vs. IQ and EQ

CQ differs from the more commonly known IQ and EQ in various ways. IQ only measures cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, logical reasoning, and analytical thinking. CQ goes beyond the abilities measured by IQ tests, as it focuses on an individual’s ability to adapt and function effectively in different cultures.

EQ focuses on the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one’s own and others’ emotions. CQ applies those emotional intelligence skills to cross-cultural interactions, meaning it measures the ability to not just recognize others’ emotions within one’s home culture, but being able to interpret them and respond appropriately to someone from a different cultural background.

Why Is Cultural Intelligence Essential for Expats?

Cultural intelligence can help expats and their families overcome culture shock and adapt to their new environment. When encountering unfamiliar customs, social norms, or communication styles, flexing one’s CQ muscle can help them reduce misunderstandings and confusion. When you have a higher CQ, you are also better able to regulate feelings of frustration, deal with loneliness, and uncertainty. All those are common symptoms of culture shock, and when you regulate them effectively, this fosters emotional resilience.

Also when expats exhibit a strong CQ, they can better adapt their communication style, follow etiquette, and adjust their problem-solving approaches to what is expected in the Chinese environment. This will definitely ease their transition into their new home.

For China, specifically, hierarchy in the workplace, can be quite different from the expats’ home environment practices. Here are some practical examples:

• Understanding what is expected from a leader in the workplace (decisiveness and strong leadership rather than emphasis on participation and teamwork) can make or break people management during the assignment.

• Adhering to the concept of 面子 (miànzi, “saving face”) can mean saving a work relationship that may otherwise have been irreparably damaged.

• Showing respect to a colleague with seniority can mean success in a team collaboration situation.

And outside the workplace, a high level of cultural intelligence is equally - or maybe even more - important. While the colleagues of the working partner are likely used to dealing with foreigners, the non-working “trailing spouse” often has to interact with those having little previous experience with non-Chinese. So, for them, learning how to improve cultural intelligence is even more crucial for social integration.

The 4 Pillars of CQ and How Expats Can Develop Them (Further)

Most models on cultural intelligence break the cultural quotient down in four components or pillars: cognitive, emotional, motivational, and behavioral. Let us take a look at each in turn:

Cognitive CQ

The cognitive pillar of cultural intelligence is all about acquiring knowledge surrounding cultural norms, values, and communication styles. This knowledge is typically acquired through intercultural training, reading, watching content related to the expat’s host country, and more. This more cerebral aspect of CQ is the first one that comes to mind when talking about improving a person’s CQ scores. But that is just a small part of what makes cultural intelligence the big topic it is.

Emotional CQ

The emotional aspect of cultural intelligence deals with managing frustration, coping with uncertainty, and mastering cultural misunderstandings. This pillar is not easily trained, since one can very well know intellectually that there are differences in culture, but still experience frustration or overwhelm when experiencing those same cultural differences in real life. Good tools to work on one’s emotional CQ are coaching sessions aimed at working through cultural understandings or past situations of uncertainty, to develop strategies to deal better if similar situations occur in the future.

Motivational CQ

The motivational side of cultural intelligence is all about cultivating curiosity and showing the willingness to engage with a new culture. Most expats will have a minimum of motivational CQ already, because deciding to move abroad probably means you have somewhat dealt with the new culture before your departure. But the extent to which someone is willing to plunge into that new culture can differ. Some expats remain relatively sheltered in their “expat bubble”, while others go out of their way to delve deeper into their host culture. A way to support expats and expat families in improving their motivational CQ is for companies to offer intercultural experiences such as celebrations of cultural festivals, cooking classes, traditional arts and crafts - either pre-departure or when the expats are already in-country.

Behavioral CQ

The behavioral component of cultural intelligence measures how willing one is to adapt one’s language, body language, or social behaviors to fit the new cultural context. Improving one’s behavioral CQ is a marathon, not a sprint. Becoming even conversational in a new language takes time and effort, as do observing, learning, and adapting body language to fit in better in one’s new environment. And social behaviors can be taught in a class, but adopting them in real life takes a lot of effort. Companies can, however, support their expats and expat families in this journey by providing language classes that focus not just on the spoken and written word, but that encompass behavioral components as well.

CQ in Action - Examples From Real Life

Within the China Expat Spouse coaching practice, examples of cultural intelligence in action abound. Here are some success stories from real life:

The Entrepreneur Who Became a Chinese Business Expert

Context: This is the story of a South African client, who wanted to launch a startup in Chongqing but kept running into walls when it came to negotiating with business partners.

Strong CQ in Action: Instead of trusting what they knew about how business works in South Africa, they used guanxi (Chinese-style relationship building practices), mastered the art of establishing trust over time, and started negotiating indirectly. In coaching sessions, we discussed setbacks and came up with strategies to go forward. The continuous feedback loop and accountability greatly helped them get used to doing business “the China way”.

Result: The startup became successful because the strong relationship building upfront helped them in the long run.

The Expat Spouse Who Found a Supportive Community

Context: One of China Expat Spouse’s German clients really struggled moving to Dali (in Yunnan Province), feeling lonely and isolated.

Strong CQ in Action: In the coaching sessions, it became clear that what they were missing in their new location was a group of likeminded acquaintances who they could exchange ideas with and who would provide a strong support network for them. Mandarin classes, attending classes around local minority art and meeting a number of new people - both locals and other foreigners.

Result: The shared interest in art and local history helped this client bond with new friends. Being able to communicate at a conversational level was really important, since the knowledge level of English among locals is quite low in this area of China.

Unfortunately, not all tales of expats and expat spouses in China have a happy ending. Here is an example from the China Expat Spouse coaching practice where low CQ led to struggles:

The Direct Communicator Who Offended Colleagues

Context: One of China Expat Spouse’s Japanese clients had a Swiss manager at work after relocating to Hangzhou. This executive maintained their customary blunt and direct communication style - such as giving negative feedback in front of an entire group of employees during meetings.

Low CQ in Action: This manager did not realize that Chinese (and Japanese) business culture values harmony, saving face (meaning negative feedback in front of others is a big no-no), and indirect communication. By dressing people down in front of others, those employees were deeply embarrassed and completely withdrew.

Result: Tension in the team was a result, and business performance greatly suffered. Not just the Chinese colleagues, the Japanese expatriate as well, avoided discussions with that manager as much as possible. Trust was lost, and productivity dropped drastically.

Practical Tips for Expats Wanting to Improve Their CQ

After reading this, expats and their families may want to improve their CQ skills, but may be unsure of how and where to start. Here are some tips.

Learn About the Culture

Gaining knowledge of the host culture is always a great start. For China, that could be done by

• Reading up on Chinese history and culture

• Subscribing to YouTube channels/follow influencers on Instagram or TikTok about life in China

• Finding a pre-departure cultural training (such as the Ready For China Workshops by China Expat Spouse)

Start Learning the Language

For tips about learning Mandarin specifically, check out this article. Some highlights are

• Do your research on characters (traditional vs. simplified), local dialects, tones, etc.

• Be intentional - identify the language elements most important to you and focus on learning those

• Discover whether classroom learning, private tutoring, Chinese media materials, or apps (like Duolingo, ChineseWriter, ChineseSkill, etc.) are your preferred learning method

Build a Network

Even before heading to China, prospective expats can start contacting people who are already in-country or who used to live there. Good places to start are

• The China office - future colleagues will be happy to give information about their city, work environment or other aspects of their life

• Repatriates’ associations - there are often China Friendship Societies, clubs for Chinese culture appreciation, and others right where you live. Go there and get some contacts.

• Social networks - Facebook, WeChat, or even Reddit have groups or subreddits for the place you are moving to. Join, then ask your burning questions.

Keep Honing Communication Skills

A lot of “regular” soft skills are 100% applicable to intercultural situations. Some examples are:

• In active listening, one listens to understand instead of respond, cultivating patience and openness

• By practicing mindfulness, one can improve cultural self-awareness and improve one’s reading of social cues

• Improving emotional intelligence helps reduce culture shock stress and allows one to see situations from multiple cultural perspectives

The Role of Employers and HR in Supporting Expat CQ Development

In addition to the strategies outlined above of how expats and their families can improve their CQ scores, there are also several ways that HR can support cultural intelligence development in their expat population.

Training

The number of service providers offering training for intercultural communications or similar is staggering. Here is an article that gives a look at Top Training Providers in China for employers wanting to help their expats get ready for China.

When choosing a training provider, employers should determine their criteria for selection, such as the provider’s

• Expertise for China specifically

• Diversity of programs offered

• Reputation in the market

• Accessibility of programs offered

• USPs

Mentorship

Mentorship programs can also be a good way to support CQ development. Setting up a mentorship initiative involves

• Defining scope and goals of the program, such as purpose, target audience, and duration

• Identifying suitable mentors

• Supplying them with preparatory material and training for being a mentor

• Pairing mentors with mentees

• Structuring the mentor-mentee relationship (meeting frequency, preferred format, topics to cover)

• Assessing and improving the program by implementing feedback mechanisms, tracking successes, and adjusting as needed

Resources

Setting up a resource library for expats and their families can also be helpful. This can be as simple as a link list or as involved as a virtual library with materials employees can access to start familiarizing themselves with China. The latter could hold

• Guides and handbooks

• Online learning modules

• Interactive tools such as CQ self-assessments or case study simulations

• Language and communication aids

• Expert contributions like curated TED talks, podcasts, or YouTube videos

• Lists of local resources such as useful WeChat groups, or contacts in the expat community of the host location

Ongoing Support for Expat Families

We at China Expat Spouse believe that the importance of supporting not just the employee, but also their families cannot be overstated. Which is why we offer the whole gamut of services to help your company thrive in China by supporting your expats and their spouses:

• Transition Coaching

• Workshops

• Group Coaching

• WeChat Community Support

• Ambassador Program

We have seen that cultural intelligence really is a key factor in a successful expat experience. Improving expats’ CQ levels can lead to better engagement at work, longer expat assignments, and better social integration. The same goes for accompanying partners and other expat family members. For the company as well as the expats themselves, it pays to foster the development of cultural intelligence in internationally mobile employees.

China Expat Spouse can be a great partner in this quest. Book a free consultation call to find out how we can help.

Need Help?

Thinking about taking the plunge but unsure where to start? Need help setting or sustaining your language-learning goals? Consider working with a coach. If you’re curious about coaching, check out our article, “What is Coaching,” and book a free needs assessment call.