The Great Course Plus – Customs of the World: Using Cultural Intelligence to Adapt, Wherever You Are 2018-12

Updated August 10, 2026 7.07 GB

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Description

Customs of the World: Using Cultural Intelligence to Adapt, Wherever You Are. This course examines the customs and traditions of different cultures and how to apply cultural intelligence to adapt effectively in any environment. In today’s highly globalized world, understanding cultural differences is essential for personal and professional success, but adapting to all cultures is not possible. Therefore, developing cultural intelligence is presented as a key capability that improves judgment and decision-making in cross-cultural situations, increases creativity in multicultural teams, and enhances individual well-being. Professor David Livermore of the Center for Cultural Intelligence will present this course in 24 sessions, and participants will become familiar with different cultural values and their impact on behaviors in the areas of work, social interactions, dining etiquette, and family life. This course emphasizes that cultural intelligence does not necessarily mean perfect adaptation to all cultural preferences, but rather understanding the hidden layers of culture, because culture is like an iceberg with a huge, invisible part that, if ignored, can lead to misunderstandings and serious problems. This training provides strategic and practical guidance for living, working, and traveling in today’s complex world.

What you will learn

Understanding the principles of cultural intelligence:
Learning the values embedded in different cultures around the world and how they influence behavior, which helps to successfully achieve goals in any cultural context.
Understand that cultural intelligence (CQ) is a skill that can be developed and strengthened.
Analysis of the value dimensions of cultures:
Analysis of the 10 dimensions of cultural value that researchers have identified for comparing cultures (such as individualistic vs. collectivist, high power distance vs. low power distance, high contextual relevance vs. low contextual relevance, etc.).
Observing how these “complex archetypes” manifest in everyday life.
Understand the difference between cultures that adhere to clock time (like the United States) and cultures that operate based on event time (like Brazil).
Improving intercultural interactions:
Gain practical tips and vital context for greeting, interacting, and even managing people from other parts of the world.
Being aware that cultural intelligence does not always mean perfect compliance with everyone’s cultural preferences.
Tips for being friendly at home and abroad:
Guide real-world interactions using awareness of cultural dimensions (such as how to address people of different levels, lead group discussions, or interpret children’s behavior).
Learn lots of practical tips for interacting with colleagues and friends from other countries.
Exploring the world’s cultural clusters:
A survey of 10 cultural clusters around the world in the second half of the period (such as the Nordic, Germanic, Eastern European, Latin American, Confucian Asian, and Sub-Saharan African clusters).
Increase awareness and understanding of the customs, values, aspirations, and motivations of people in these clusters.
Gain insight into the “do’s and don’ts” for interacting with people in each cluster, emphasizing that cultural intelligence requires a more nuanced perspective than a simple list.

This course is suitable for people who:

People whose mission is to establish international business relationships.
Travelers who want to travel more respectfully.
Global citizens who want to be more thoughtful and informed at home.
Professionals looking to increase their earning potential by improving their cross-cultural skills.
Individuals seeking to strengthen critical judgment and decision-making abilities in cross-cultural situations.
Anyone who wants to understand why cultural differences can lead to misunderstandings, tension, and costly embarrassment.