Leading with intelligence
Cultural intelligence isn’t optional—it’s essential
As part of my facilitation of the IB Leadership workshop Leading and Managing Teams, I recently had the opportunity to guide participants through the IB Leadership Intelligences Framework. IB leaders operate in diverse, international contexts. They are called to draw upon a range of intellectual capacities—seven intelligences in total—that support effective leadership in IB World Schools.
To bring this framework to life, I use an interactive activity during the workshop:
- SELECT a video or film clip where a character models one of the seven IB leadership intelligences.
- POST the video on our shared Padlet.
- REFLECT on the key leadership behaviours demonstrated and consider how these insights could be applied within their own teams and contexts.
This approach opens up rich discussions and allows participants to see leadership intelligences in action, rather than just read about them.
Cultural Intelligence
According to the IB, cultural intelligence is the ability of leaders to:
"continually interact with people, institutions, and ideas from different cultural traditions to their own. They harness the human potential within diverse school communities and create a shared culture that not only respects and celebrates cultural diversity but also sees it as essential for intercultural learning."
During a recent session, one participant introduced a film I hadn't encountered before: The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014). The trailer sparked a lively conversation around cultural intelligence.
The Hundred-Foot Journey tells the story of the Kadam family, who open an Indian restaurant in a French village, just across the road from a Michelin-starred French restaurant. A culinary rivalry unfolds but transforms into mutual respect, cultural exchange, and personal growth, particularly through the young chef Hassan, who bridges the two culinary worlds through talent, humility, and understanding.
In international school settings, this intelligence is vital. It shapes how leaders approach everything from curriculum design to conflict resolution, recruitment, and community engagement.
The Hundred-Foot Journey beautifully illustrates cultural intelligence through its narrative of cross-cultural conflict and eventual harmony. The protagonist, Hassan, moves between two culinary cultures—traditional Indian and classical French—and becomes a bridge between them. His success is not just in technical skill but in his openness to learning, his respect for difference, and his ability to build trust across cultural lines.
IB leaders are often called to do the same. Like Hassan, they must navigate cultural tensions with humility and vision. They need to foster a shared identity that values diversity as a strength and promotes intercultural understanding across their school communities.
This film served as a powerful and accessible way for workshop participants to connect with the idea of cultural intelligence—not just as a concept, but as a lived leadership practice.
Using film to explore the IB Leadership Intelligences adds depth and relevance to professional learning. The Hundred-Foot Journey reminded us that leadership is as much about human connection and mutual understanding as it is about strategy and systems. In a world of ever-increasing complexity, cultural intelligence is not just beneficial—it’s essential.