Why future-ready leaders must lead with cultural intelligence and fluency
Too often, organisations mistake global reach for global relevance, but real inclusivity means recognising that messages must resonate with the lived realities of different communities.
Global communication has reached a decisive turning point. For decades, international campaigns followed a one-size-fits-all formula: a centralised message, often western-centric, rolled out across geographies with only minor tweaks. That model no longer works. Migration, mobility, and multiculturalism have reshaped societies so profoundly that uniform approaches are not just ineffective – they risk being irrelevant.
For today’s leaders, intercultural dialogue is no longer a ‘nice to have’. It is the foundation for inclusive storytelling, authentic engagement, and even commercial growth. To put it simply: cultural intelligence has become the new currency of credibility.
The case for cultural intelligence is not built on intuition alone, it is reinforced by a strong body of research. The concept, introduced by P. Christopher Earley and Soon Ang in 2003, defines cultural intelligence (CQ) as the ability to operate effectively across cultural settings. Decades of study have shown that individuals with high CQ demonstrate greater adaptability, more inclusive leadership, and stronger collaboration in diverse teams.
Subsequent research, including work by Van Dyne, Ang, and Ng in 2012, has gone further demonstrating that cultural intelligence is linked to sharper decision-making and higher levels of innovation in complex environments.
The implication for leaders is clear: investing in CQ is not simply about avoiding cultural missteps. It is about equipping organisations with the agility, creativity, and resilience needed to thrive in an interconnected marketplace. It was within this compelling context that the CIPR International Group organised a summer webinar titled Breaking Barriers: The Power of Intercultural Dialogue in Shaping Inclusive Narratives.
As EDI champion for CIPR International, I moderated the conversation between three practitioners from three continents: Mahalakshmi Srinivasan, CEO APAC of Indicia Worldwide in Singapore; Marie-Noëlle Elissac-Foy, founder and director of The Talent Factory in Mauritius; and Avril Lee Hon, a CIPR Honorary Fellow and chair of the CIPR's Diversity and Inclusion Network in the UK. Each of them offered clear insights into what needs to change.
Rethinking the ‘global’ mindset
The first shift that leaders must embrace is in how we define ‘global’. As Avril captured succinctly: “Global doesn’t mean one way to do things, it means many kinds of local.” This reframing matters because it calls out a pervasive blind spot. Too often, organisations mistake global reach for global relevance.
Real inclusivity means recognising that messages must resonate with the lived realities of different communities. That requires transformation, not just translation. An example Avril shared was that of a reproductive health campaign that succeeds in London but may falter in Lagos or Delhi if it ignores cultural sensitivities. Leaders must empower communicators to design messages that adapt meaningfully to local contexts while still holding true to core values.
Diversity as a driver, not a duty
Many organisations still treat diversity and inclusion as obligations – a set of boxes to tick to meet social expectations or avoid reputational risk. That mindset misses the point. As Marie-Noëlle reminded us: “We need to stop seeing multiculturalism as a risk to be managed and start seeing it as an opportunity for value creation.”
Her insight is not theoretical. In Mauritius, a society woven together by Creole, French, Hindi and Chinese influences, a campaign that fails to speak inclusively simply fails. The lesson for global business leaders is clear: when diversity is viewed as a strategic asset, it opens doors to innovation, new markets, and deeper trust with stakeholders.
Discomfort as a catalyst for growth
Change rarely comes without discomfort, particularly when addressing issues of equity and representation. As Mahalakshmi (known as ML) put it: “You don’t know what you don’t know.” For leaders, this means accepting that blind spots exist—and creating systems that help surface hidden perspectives.
Psychological safety, the freedom to speak up without fear, is unevenly distributed across cultures. Leaders who value inclusivity must build environments where all voices can be heard, not just the dominant ones. ML’s own organisation leveraged AI tools to collect anonymous feedback in employees’ native languages, then acted transparently on those insights. The result was measurable: stronger retention, higher engagement, and better performance. Inclusion, in other words, is not just a moral imperative – it is a business strategy.
Embedding inclusion into strategy
One of the most innovative practices shared was the repositioning of employee resource groups (ERGs). Traditionally seen as support networks, ERGs are increasingly being used to stress-test campaign messaging for cultural relevance. This simple yet powerful shift reframes ERGs as business assets, embedding inclusivity directly into the value creation process.
For leaders, the message is clear: inclusivity must move from the margins of organisational activity to its centre. Cultural intelligence should be applied not only to workforce dynamics but also to product development, brand positioning, and market expansion.
Building your cultural intelligence: A leadership checklist
For leaders seeking to strengthen their cultural fluency, the following actions provide a starting point:
- Audit your own biases. Self-awareness is the first step toward inclusive leadership.
- Seek out diverse voices. Curate networks that extend beyond familiar circles.
- Localise values, not just words. Translation is insufficient without cultural resonance.
- Turn ERGs into insight hubs. Make them integral to product and campaign design.
- Invite discomfort. Ask difficult questions with humility and openness.
- Lead with empathy. Prioritise listening over speaking, understanding over assumption.
The communications profession is no longer about broadcasting messages, it is about building bridges. Cultural intelligence provides leaders with the tools to navigate complexity, design inclusive narratives, and cultivate trust across borders. When leaders embrace cultural fluency not as compliance but as strategy, they unlock both human connection and commercial value.
In an interconnected world, that is not only smart leadership. It is essential leadership.
Anjali Patil is the founder and director of Illumina Consulting, a communications consultancy. She is also a committee member of the CIPR ESG Network and CIPR International, where she is the EDI champion.
Introducing Cultural Intelligence for PR
Join Advita Patel and Sarah Black, certified cultural intelligence facilitators, on 23 September at 12:00 BST for this webinar introducing Cultural Intelligence for PR & Comms Professionals.
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