The most important thing I have learned about Global Leadership while I studied abroad is how important Cultural Intelligence is in different cultures. I didn’t understand the importance of CQ before coming to Italy but the differences in the cultures proved to me how necessary it is. For example, the personal space in Florence is very close compared to America where people have an average of 20 inches between people. Also, Italian culture emphasizes posture while in American culture a lot of people slouch. By not learning about other cultures and not adapting leadership styles, companies may miss a lot of opportunities to make a profit. For example, the Medici family was prominent in Italy and controlled Venice for years. They took the knowledge of finance from Florence to Venice and were able to create their empire. Simple things I could do to increase my Cultural Intelligence are learning a language, finding cultural guides, and experiencing the local culture. Cultural Intelligence builds upon itself and is versatile when going from one culture to a different culture.
