Cultural Intelligence: The Competitive Edge for Leaders Crossing Boundaries

Right now, vast amounts of time and money are being invested all round the world in building global brands and organizations. But where are the global leaders who will lead them? Leaders who can cross cultural boundaries: between east and west, and north and south; between faiths and beliefs; between public, private and voluntary sectors; and between the generations?

Where are the leaders who can lead in what Julia calls the “magnet cities” of the world: where the world's most talented young people will convene? Because these people will simply turn their backs on bosses who demand that their teams think and behave alike.

The race is on to develop leaders with CQ, and this book is designed to give readers a decisive head start. In the process, Julia has spoken to leaders all round the world, and invited them to tell their own CQ stories: successful and disastrous, serious and funny, poignant, pragmatic and often highly personal. The result is surprising, challenging and frequently uncomfortable (there is no simplistic advice here about how to exchange business cards in the correct local manner).

This second edition, revised and expanded in 2019, looks even further into the cultural collisions that can spark real innovation if the leader at the centre of them has CQ. How do you lead effectively when cultures collide within the team? And, even more intriguing, what do you do when cultures collide inside yourself?

For this new edition, Julia has discussed these collisions with leaders of all generations, in countries all over the world. She shares experiences and insights that are painful, funny and wise. For anyone trying to lead across boundaries, this will be an indispensable companion.

Julia Middleton is the founder and Chief Executive of the Common Purpose Charitable Trust. She is passionate about leadership development, and campaigns to encourage leaders from all backgrounds to make an active contribution to their communities and to wider society. The social philosopher Charles Handy said of her: “How she came to be the force she is, the values she holds and the way she applies them, contains messages for many who dream of making the difference she has made.” This is Julia's second book. Her first - "Beyond Authority: Leadership in a Changing World" - was published in 2007 and has become a bestseller on the Palgrave Macmillan business books list.
Common Purpose runs leadership development programmes that enable people from different backgrounds, sectors and geographies to work together to solve common problems. In the process, they give participants the inspiration, skills and connections to become better leaders, both at work and in society.
Founded in 1989 as a not-for profit social enterprise, Common Purpose now runs local courses for leaders in cities across the world, and global programmes for leaders from over 100 countries across six continents. Each year, 4,000 leaders become Common Purpose alumni.