Cultural Intelligence, or CQ, is the capability to function in multicultural situations. People with high CQ are effective leaders, good decision makers, and have a high degree of creativity. It takes commitment, training, and dedication to acquire this skill – not just one class on unconscious bias.

Our former VP of Educational Services and current VP Global Diversity Practice, Sandra Upton, recently sat down with Gerry Fernandez from the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance and was a guest on the A Seat at the Table podcast.  Sandra and Gerry discussed a number of topics including what is cultural intelligence (CQ), opportunities for U.S. businesses, training to build CQ skills, how a company can get started with CQ and a variety of other topics.

“We know that not only does cultural intelligence predict your ability to work effectively across cultures, but that it predicts the ability to build trust and cooperation and even negotiation effectiveness when working with others from other cultures. We know it predicts creativity and innovation. We know that it predicts workplace performance and leadership effectiveness. And we also know that it impacts the bottom line.” – Dr. Sandra Upton

Listen to the full Podcast below.



The Podcast is also available on:

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Full Show Notes:

Listen to learn tools and best practices for implementing CQ training at your business.

  • (01:57) – What is cultural intelligence?
  • (02:57) – The 4 key capabilities of CQ
  • (06:12) – How Sandra was introduced to CQ
  • (08:12) – Opportunities for U.S. businesses
  • (09:37) – Schools in the CQ space
  • (11:06) – Opportunities for the hospitality industry
  • (13:55) – How can CQ training benefit society
  • (15:17) – The intersection of CQ and unconscious bias
  • (18:35) – Follow-up training to build CQ skills
  • (21:33) – How should a company get started
  • (26:31) – Do people of color have better CQ?
  • (28:06) – Bias in play
  • (32:16) – Resources for practical progress
  • (36:40) – The future of CQ

The original Podcast from A Seat at the Table is available via MFHA.net.

About Dr. Sandra Upton

Sandra Upton, DSL serves as VP Global Diversity practices and provides strategic direction for applying Cultural Intelligence (CQ) to DEI work across all segments and industries. She previously worked with schools and universities through her role as Vice President of Educational Initiatives. In addition, she’s a regular speaker, trainer, and consultant on cultural intelligence with companies and non-profit organizations. As a former business school dean and organizational consultant, Sandra understands how to effectively integrate CQ with organizations’ D&I initiatives and global leadership programs. She has also facilitated study abroad experiences in places such as China, Europe, Israel, and South Africa. Sandra finds her greatest pleasure in spending time with her husband and two children. She also enjoys travel, reading, watching a good film and long walks.

About A Seat at the Table and Gerry Fernandez

A Seat at the Table is hosted by Gerald “Gerry” A. Fernandez, the founder and President of the MFHA, an educational non-profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace. Gerry has been recognized for his decades of work in educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. Gerry was honored in the Nation’s Restaurant News 2018 Power List among “the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today but also shaping them for tomorrow.”  More information can be found at https://mfha.net/podcast

About Cultural Intelligence Center

The Cultural Intelligence Center is dedicated to the worldwide assessment and development of cultural intelligence or CQ–a globally recognized way of measuring and improving intercultural effectiveness. It owns the only academically validated CQ assessment in the world and offers certification and training for using the assessment. More information about the Cultural Intelligence Center can be found on our website located at http://www.CulturalQ.com.