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2025’s Biggest CQ Wins: How Leaders Are Transforming Global Teams
Image link: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-celebrating-at-the-office-7793999/ Global teams rarely break down because people lack skills or motivation. More often, leaders hit a wall when decisions slow, engagement drops, or well-intended strategies miss the mark across regions. That’s usually the moment leaders realize culture, not competence, is distorting performance. Many global leadership challenges in diverse teams stem from unexamined assumptions about communicatio
Daphne, FNDR of Tough Convos
5 days ago4 min read
The Impossible Holiday Problem at Work (And How Cultural Intelligence Solves It)
Photo by Marina Endzhirgli from Pexels Your team celebrates 7 different December traditions. Your company calendar recognizes 2. Here's the math problem no one wants to say out loud: There are 195 countries in the world, most with multiple subcultures within them. You cannot possibly honour every cultural celebration without grinding productivity to a halt. And yet, here you are, trying to make everyone feel included during "the holidays"—while half your team celebrates Chri
Daphne, FNDR of Tough Convos
Dec 18, 20257 min read
How Cultural Intelligence Predicts Your 2026 Success
Image link: https://www.pexels.com/photo/an-artist-s-illustration-of-artificial-intelligence-ai-this-image-depicts-how-ai-can-help-humans-to-understand-the-complexity-of-biology-it-was-created-by-artist-khyati-trehan-as-part-17484975/ We’re living in a time when the workplace no longer fits old definitions. Global team leadership . AI-driven collaboration tools. Remote or hybrid schedules. These, along with the rising influence of a younger, often more culturally diverse gen
Daphne, FNDR of Tough Convos
Dec 12, 20254 min read
Why Leaders Never Have Time for What Actually Matters (And How to Fix It)
Image via https://unsplash.com/photos/a-man-sitting-at-a-desk-with-his-head-in-his-hands-fru_EXsqsp4 Let's talk for a minute honestly, about the weight you carry as a leader. Maybe you're reading this in a moment that feels stolen. Your mind rushes: I should be doing something more productive. You think you're too busy for leadership development , to work on yourself. The pressure is inescapable. You need to be everywhere all at once, and you're running around chasing crises
Daphne, FNDR of Tough Convos
Dec 4, 20254 min read
Your CQ Journey Starts Here: Getting Real Results from the eBook
Image via https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-in-white-long-sleeve-shirt-and-blue-denim-jeans-sitting-on-brown-wooden-table-using-vqWWOnA6--M with Gemini enhancements You bought the cultural intelligence (CQ) eBook. Smart move. But here's the thing: This isn't a book you only read. It's a framework you live. Here's how to actually use the CQ eBook to transform how you lead. Table of Contents: You’ve Got the eBook. Now What? Part 1: Foundation (Chapters 1-3) — Learn and Unlea
Daphne, FNDR of Tough Convos
Nov 26, 20254 min read
CQ is the New EQ: Are You a Good Manager or a Great Leader?
EQ Made You a Good Manager. Cultural Intelligence Makes You a Great Leader. Get the CQ eBook. Available now at www.toughconvos.com/cq-ebook Why? When emotional intelligence (EQ) became the buzzword of leadership training in the 1990s, it was a game-changer. Finally, managers were being taught that empathy, self-awareness , and emotional regulation mattered just as much as technical skill. But workplaces have evolved. Today, we have hybrid, global, and increasingly diverse set
Daphne, FNDR of Tough Convos
Nov 21, 20254 min read
The Authentic Leader in a Complex World: Why Global Citizenship Starts with Cultural Intelligence
Let’s be honest — leading right now feels impossible. Your team lives globally, even if your office is local. And here’s what that really means: Leading remote teams isn’t going anywhere. Your “local” team includes people across time zones, cultures, and completely different lived experiences. Gen Z is watching. They expect leaders to have informed perspectives on what’s happening in the world — and they notice when you stay silent. Silence speaks. Not saying anything about g
Daphne, FNDR of Tough Convos
Nov 13, 20254 min read
The Leadership Tool Every Manager Will Want Early Access To
Image link: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-group-of-women-standing-and-smiling-while-wearing-corporate-attire-8171224/ “I’ve spent months creating a tool that helps managers build cultural intelligence and lead with impact. But only the first 50 will receive early access — at nearly 40% off. Here’s why you want to be one of them.” If you’re managing multicultural teams , you know the drill: deadlines slip, meetings drag on aimlessly, even ones with agendas, and key voices st
Daphne, FNDR of Tough Convos
Nov 6, 20254 min read
The Cultural Tax: How Code-Switching Undermines Leadership Performance
They embrace leadership development to become a model that enables a truly inclusive workplace where they capitalize on differences, to become a stronger, more innovative, and cohesive team as a result.
Daphne, FNDR of Tough Convos
Oct 31, 20254 min read
Behind the Scenes: The Science and Soul of Our CQ Quiz
Photo by Hanna Pad from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-white-dress-shirt-and-white-pants-sitting-on-floor-using-macbook-7552374/ I’ve taken more online assessments than I can count — personality tests, leadership quizzes, cultural awareness assessments. Most told me I was “culturally aware.” None explained why my multicultural team still struggled to communicate. So, we built a quiz that actually reveals what matters. Table of Contents: Why Most Cultural Inte
Daphne, FNDR of Tough Convos
Oct 24, 20254 min read
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