5.7 Chapter Summary

• Interactions within cultures are based on a person’s sense of efficacy, which is their belief about their abilities to perform what is required in new cultural settings.
• Culturally intelligent leaders have higher levels of self-efficacy. They look at challenges as opportunities, they are resilient and persistent in their pursuance of the goal, they have higher confidence levels, and they are committed to finding solutions.
• Individuals who have low self-efficacy have lower expectations of themselves in new cultural settings, they lose interest and commitment under duress, and they focus on doubts and negative outcomes.
• Emotional intelligence speaks to the importance of self-efficacy in leadership; it points out the critical role self-efficacy has on managing one’s emotions, adaptability, and optimism.
• Mindfulness brings about creativity and innovation. It takes leaders “out of their boxes” and gives them a new way of perceiving themselves, their abilities, and their world.
• Mindlessness comes about through repetitive behaviors. Mostly unconsciously, a state of mindlessness can lead to learned helplessness.
• Research has shown that you can improve your self-efficacy, and the chapter highlights areas for leadership development.