Digital, Diverse & Divided

In a world of increasing polarization, Digital, Diverse & Divided shows us how to use cultural intelligence to bridge our divides and authentically connect with those around us.


Our divides are destroying us: red versus blue, Black versus White, globalists versus nationalists, agnostics versus Christians. Drawing on seminal research on social identity and cultural intelligence, this book explains our impulse to divide people into “us” versus “them” and reveals how we can tackle tribalism, confront racism, and develop a common vision for the future.

In Digital, Diverse & Divided, David Livermore outlines the four competencies of Cultural Intelligence (CQ):

• Motivation (CQ Drive)
• Cognition (CQ Knowledge)
• Metacognition (CQ Strategy)
• Behavior (CQ Action)

He shows how we can apply this foundation to a wide range of intercultural situations. This book includes personal anecdotes, stories from around the world, and references to the work of prominent authors, psychologists, thinkers, and economists.

Livermore examines different factors-place, race, gender, religious beliefs, and politics-that shape how we see the world and offers a way for us to reclaim our shared humanity.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Prologue
• Part I: Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?
• Part II: Building a More Culturally Intelligent World
• Part III: CQ Solutions for Polarized Worlds
• Epilogue
• Questions for Reflection and Discussion
• Notes
• Acknowledgments
• Index
• About the Author

“In times like these, it's easy to throw up our hands and conclude that we just can't get along. But Livermore shows how we can do better-to talk with each other rather than past each other and close the gaps that separate us.”
-Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When, Drive, and To Sell Is Human

“As a White House correspondent, I couldn't pay the mortgage without being able to talk to-and hear-both Democrats and Republicans, Iowan farmers and Manhattan fundraisers. Just when that feels impossible in today's America, David Livermore comes along with twenty-five years of research and real-world experience to make it feel doable again. Taking the reader along on his far-flung travels, Livermore pushes beyond red-versus-blue, Black-versus-white and offers practical strategies for connecting and communicating as people first. An important work that is, at once, macro and micro-and just might save us from ourselves.”
-Sandra Sobieraj Westfall, Politics Editor, People, and former White House Correspondent, Associated Press

“As a member of the armed forces, I believe cultural intelligence is the greatest ‘weapon' we have for accomplishing our mission. With service members and partner nations all over the world, CQ has the power to unlock the full potential of any team or unit serving on land, sea, or air.”
-Captain Jae Yu, US Army Officer and West Point graduate

“What can each of us do to address what feels like an intractable problem in our organizations and communities-polarization? David Livermore shares what he has learned from his own research and journey about what it takes to develop cultural intelligence and build healthy relationships with others different from ourselves.”
-Linda A. Hill, PhD, Professor, Harvard Business School, and coauthor of Collective Genius, Being the Boss, and other bestselling titles

“In the spirit of Michael Lewis, David Livermore weaves an intimate nonfiction thriller of encounters, travels, and colliding worlds of extro- and introspection. Digital, Diverse & Divided is Livermore's best treatise yet on cultural intelligence.”
-Soon Ang, PhD, pioneering social scientist in cultural intelligence, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore