The Athrú Communications Podcast

Cultural Intelligence for today’s world - with Dr David Livermore

In the final episode of this series, Sarah talks with Cultural Intelligence expert, Dr David Livermore. Together, they explore the evolving landscape of communication across cultures, the future of Cultural Intelligence (CQ), its relevance beyond nationality, the importance of understanding organisational culture and how to navigate CQ as a marginalised person. David shares insights from his extensive research and experience, offering a thought-provoking perspective on CQ, especially in the context of a multifaceted and ever evolving social and political landscape.  About David: Dr David Livermore, PhD (Michigan State University) is a social scientist devoted to the topics of cultural intelligence (CQ) and global leadership and the author of several award-winning books, including Leading with Cultural Intelligence, Digital, Diverse & Divided, Driven by Difference, and Serving with Eyes Wide Open. His newest book, the third edition of Leading with Cultural Intelligence, is the bestselling book on cultural intelligence and is filled with the latest research, case studies, and strategies for anyone who has to lead someone who is different from them.   David is a founder of the Cultural Intelligence Centre, Director of the Society of CQ Fellows, and the Ahmass Fakahany Visiting Professor in Global Leadership at Questrom’s School of Business at Boston University. He consults with global organizations around the world, including Harvard, Google, Coca-Cola, the US Department of Defence, BMW, Qatar Airways, the United Nations, and dozens more. He has travelled to more than one hundred countries and is a frequent speaker at conferences. He also serves on several boards and is a Fellow with the Society of Leadership Fellows, Windsor Castle, a select leadership community that meets to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing us globally. David loves to make social science accessible to practitioners. He has been interviewed and referenced by myriad news sources, including The Atlantic, CBS News, Christian Science Monitor, The Economist, Forbes, NBC, the New York Times, USA Today, the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the South China Post.  David and his wife, Linda, have two adult daughters, Emily and Grace. Emily is a litigation lawyer, and Grace is a graphic designer. Some of their favourite family activities are travelling (fortunately!) and discovering new foods together. LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidalivermore/] www.davidlivermore.com [https://davidlivermore.com/] Mentions: Book: Tribal [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/206030411-tribal] - Michael Morris

Listening Across Cultures - with Lucy Butters

Sarah Black welcomes cultural intelligence expert Lucy Butters to discuss the transformative power of listening for effective communication across cultures. Lucy shares her journey into cultural intelligence, the importance of listening, and how our cultural backgrounds shape our perceptions and interactions. Tune in as they explore practical strategies for improving listening skills and fostering inclusivity in diverse environments. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to enhance their communication skills in an increasingly globalised world! About Lucy: Lucy founded Elembee in 2010 to provide training and coaching which supports and enhances the capability of leaders and teams to be inclusive and internationally effective. Lucy is a Master Facilitator in Cultural Intelligence (CQ) with the Cultural Intelligence Centre, (Michigan, USA). She started her career in research and teaching roles at the universities of Aberdeen, then Hertfordshire, before working in various management & leadership roles for the British Council supporting international ambitions of UK universities and leading a transformational leadership programme across nine Arab countries and the UK. On a personal level, Lucy is a mother of triplet boys who have taught her the true meaning of hard work; and are a constant reminder of the need to adjust thinking, actions and expectations. LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucybutters/] Elembee [https://www.elembee.co.uk/] Mentions: Book: Driven by Difference [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25649416-driven-by-difference?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_22] - David Livermore Book:  Seven Habits of Successful People [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36072.The_7_Habits_of_Highly_Effective_People] - Stephen Covey Book: Hysterical: Exploding the Myth of Gendered Emotions [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60380055-hysterical?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=wrsGNsyWSh&rank=1] - Pragya Agarwal

Multilingualism - with Flor Bretón-García

SHOW NOTES: Sarah chats with Flor Bretón-García about the joys and challenges of working in multilingual environments. Their vibrant conversation covers a range of subjects about language, including the significance of understanding accents and gestures, about transcreation – not translation! and the importance of empathy in communication.  Flor also shares her personal experiences and insights on how language shapes our interactions, and the cognitive costs which are associated with speaking in a second, third or even more languages. About Flor: Fluent in Spanish, English and German, Flor is a language-passionate, avid communicator and cultural-competence promoter from Venezuela. She is proud to support children and adults to use language in ways that enable them to operate effectively across cultures.  With sixteen years’ experience in delivering intercultural training in Spanish and English, Flor leverages her knowledge and passion for connecting with people from diverse backgrounds and identities, to help organizations around the world to be more inclusive and equitable. She has lived in Germany and the USA, where she learnt German and English to communicate with their people. These experiences have given her a better understanding of the process of using a foreign language to build bridges at work and in the community. She now takes full advantage of this time living, learning and working in other countries to implement in her trainings, these successful communication methods. Flor is also a Certified Legal Spanish trainer, and an academic curriculum and content creator.  Flor is also a Certified Legal Spanish trainer, and an academic curriculum and content creator. She also enjoys mentoring female business leaders in Frankfurt’s Latino community in Germany, and in her role as part of the Chappaqua Independent School District’s DEI Committee in New York, USA. LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/florbretongarcia/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/fbreton11/] MENTIONS: Book: The Culture Map [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22085568-the-culture-map] - by Erin Meyer Podcast: Ute’s International Lounge [https://www.youtube.com/c/utesinternationallounge] The Kaleidoscope Group [https://tkgconsults.com/] The Little Nómadas [https://www.instagram.com/littlenomadas/]

Working Across Cultural Identities - with Gradiola Kapaj

SHOW NOTES: This week, Sarah Black speaks with Gradiola Kapaj, a seasoned intercultural trainer and diversity consultant, about the intricacies of communicating across cultures.  Gradiola shares her insights on the positive and negative dynamics of multinational teams, the importance of understanding cultural values, and offers practical strategies for fostering effective collaboration. If you’re interested to discover how curiosity and openness can bridge cultural gaps in a globalised workplace, then listen in! About Gradiola: Gradiola is an experienced Intercultural Trainer and Diversity & Inclusion Consultant. She works with multinational organizations, global NGOs and non-profits. She has led multinational teams, experiencing first-hand difficulties of working and managing cross-cultural teams in multiple time-zones in hybrid, F2F and virtual environments while also witnessing the benefits of global work, speed of information, global network and cultural and innovation enrichment. As an intercultural trainer, she has consulted for international organisations by designing intercultural educations, up-skilling trainers and delivering program training in the field of cross-cultural management tailored to each organisational requirements. As a DEI consultant, she has analysed, assessed, educated and strategised for global organisations, deploying her intercultural expertise to recommend global solutions with locally relevant implementation approaches. Gradiola has lived and worked in Austria, Italy, France and Albania. She speaks 6 languages with Albanian as a mother tongue, English working proficiency and conversation level in Italian, French, Spanish and German. She was a guest lecturer the University of Leibniz Hanover in Germany, FH Kaernten in Austria and is a lecturer of Intercultural Communication and DEI at FH Wien der WKO in Vienna, Austria. LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gradiola-kapaj/] MENTIONS: Book: Reach: A New Strategy to Help You Step Outside Your Comfort Zone, Rise to the Challenge and Build Confidence [https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/31394393-reach] by Andy Molinsky

Polarisation - with Hanlie van Wyk

SHOW NOTES: This week, Sarah welcomes Hanlie van Wyk to the microphone. Hanlie, a social scientist and hate crime scholar, explores the intricacies of fostering understanding and collaboration in polarised and challenging environments.   Drawing from her personal experiences in South Africa and her extensive research, Hanlie shares about the importance of leadership in driving change, how to navigate polarisation with hope and offers a series of practical strategies for communication. About Hanlie: Growing up in Apartheid South Africa, Hanlie witnessed firsthand the transformative power of leadership during Nelson Mandela's presidency. This experience instilled a profound understanding of how strategic leadership can foster cultural change and promote inclusivity.  She has since dedicated herself to helping leaders navigate thorny issues and solve complex human problems. Hanlie’s professional journey has taken her across four continents, where she led BRATLAB, a behavioural research lab, for ten years. In this role, and her work as a global cultural consultant at the Kaleidoscope Group, Hanlie honed her skills in developing and implementing strategies that promote diversity as a business advantage, equity as a core value, and inclusion as a leadership gift. Hanlie is currently working on a Ph.D. in hate crime prevention. Hanlie van Wyk [http://hanlievanwyk.com] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanlievanwyk/] MENTIONS: The Kaleidoscope Group [https://tkgconsults.com/] Book: A World of Three Cultures: Honor, Achievement and Joy [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26890890-a-world-of-three-cultures] Book: Fascism: A Warning [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35230469-fascism?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_18]