Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2021 - 15

DR. KRISTAL WALKER, CPTM

DIVERSITY AND
INCLUSION

CULTURAL COMPETENCE: AN
ESSENTIAL SKILL FOR CULTIVATING
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
As the practice of diversity and
inclusion (D&I) continues to gain traction
throughout the global workforce, training
managers and D&I practitioners continue
to find themselves contemplating
which area of focus - diversity, equity,
inclusion and belonging - deserves
the greatest attention. To add greater
complexity, training managers are
challenged with creating content with
the appropriate balance of perspective
that includes lived experiences, best
practices that support the well-being of
all stakeholders and scientifically proven
behaviors that interrupt unhealthy bias
in all its forms. The good news is that no
matter what approach an organization
takes, training managers will be involved
to help employees acquire the skills
necessary to succeed.

FOSTERING DIVERSITY
IS ONLY ONE PART OF
THE PUZZLE.
Fostering diversity is only one part of the
puzzle. What does an organization do with
all those individual perspectives if there
is no common association? The answer
is to enhance the cultural competence
of the workforce so that all stakeholders
demonstrate the appropriate skills
and behaviors necessary for everyone
to feel welcomed, supported and
valued. This process leads to the
building and nurturing of organic
inclusive relationships, allyship and
higher performance.
The Cultural Intelligence Center offers
a simple framework for enhancing cultural
competence ( " Cultural Intelligence "

or " CQ " ). The framework presents four
unique areas of opportunity that training
professionals can use to build relevant
skills for a diversified workforce.
Adopting this framework can also lead
to greater progress with D&I strategy,
training and programs.
CQ DRIVE
CQ drive is one's personal interest
and confidence when engaging with
individuals from other cultures. A
person with low CQ drive does not
express genuine interest in working
across cultures, whereas someone on
the opposite end of the spectrum may
thrive in those situations. If exceptional
customer service at the point of sale is
a key metric for measuring success, a
person with low CQ may not be the best
fit for the job, especially if the customer
base is multicultural.
CQ KNOWLEDGE
CQ knowledge is the understanding
of similarities and differences within a
specific culture. The problem with D&I
efforts is that we have made so much of
the work about race and ethnicity that
we have missed golden opportunities
to connect as individuals. Knowledge
of cultural similarities and differences
equips the learner with greater insight
and discernment in place of potential
bias and blind spots.
CQ STRATEGY
CQ strategy is the desire to plan for a
multicultural interaction. For example, if
an American businessperson planned
a trip to Japan to meet with a group

of executives, he or she would benefit
greatly from spending time thinking
through what they may encounter
when engaging with Japanese customs
and culture.
CQ ACTION
CQ action is the demonstrated ability
to adapt when working in multicultural
contexts. This is the artistic skill of
navigating differences of opinions,
preferences or value systems. The only
real way to achieve CQ action is to be
self-confident so that rather than feeling
inferior when differences do occur,
one can express mutual respect and a
genuine appreciation for difference.
The idea of learning a new skill is
not always embraced; however, it
is required for this day and age.
The lingering events - COVID-19
pandemic, social injustice or the drive
to focus on our personal well-being -
that we have all experienced over the
last year on some level have required
us to pivot in one way or another.
The beauty of it all is that even with
unwelcome change, we still have
the capacity to demonstrate lifelong
learning by upskilling, reskilling
or sharing knowledge when those
opportunities present themselves.
Dr. Kristal Walker, CPTM, has over 15
years of experience helping clients
engage people, apply processes and
implement technologies to improve
performance. She is the vice president
of employee wellbeing at Sweetwater.
Kristal is also a facilitator for Training
Industry's Diversity and Inclusion Master
Class. Email Kristal.

T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MAGAZ INE - CLOSING SKILLS GAPS I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE

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Training Industry Magazine - May/June 2021

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