The Story Behind The Ultimate Intercultural Question Book
- annahughes42
- Mar 31
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 1
A skilled learner asks questions—instead of assuming they already know.
A question has the power to inquire, inform, and incite. A question allows for the transfer of knowledge and depth of understanding.
That is why we are proud to introduce The Ultimate Intercultural Question Book—designed to inspire bold conversations and deeper connections with colleagues, friends, and family.
The book brings together stories from an intercultural lens, each one stemming from the lives and experiences of Inter-Cultural Intelligence practitioners from around the globe. Every story is followed by a series of questions to serve as conversation starters and catalysts for meaningful dialogue.
Why Write a Book of Questions?
I have always believed that good learning stems from asking good questions. In my work with KnowledgeWorkx, I realized that knowing how to ask insightful questions is crucial for gaining true understanding of individuals and fostering effective, relationship-building conversations. This belief became the foundation of my intercultural work.
One day, Spencer MacCuish, a practitioner using KnowledgeWorkx’s framework, shared an initial list of over 100 cultural acquisition questions with me. This list was a revelation, highlighting the power of well-crafted questions in sparking deep conversations and uncovering the richness of people's cultural stories.
As I delved deeper into intercultural work, I met Bob Tiede, an author renowned for his books on questions. Bob challenged me, saying, “Marco, the world needs a book on intercultural questions. We need excellent questions to engage across cultures.” This challenge resonated with me, inspiring me to expand the initial list into a comprehensive resource.
Through the process of using and sharing these questions, I witnessed their profound impact. Long-standing friends discovered new things about each other, and people felt they had learned more about their friends in an hour than in years of friendship. These questions created space for shared cultural understanding and meaningful storytelling.
Driven by the desire to foster deeper connections and intercultural understanding, I wrote The Ultimate Intercultural Question Book. It is a tool designed to help people explore the similarities and differences between individuals, allowing for authentic connections and shared cultural spaces.
But this is just the beginning. The journey of intercultural exploration and the stories that unfold from these questions are waiting to be discovered. Are you ready to dive in and see where these questions will take you?
The Ultimate Intercultural Question Game
The book is complemented by The Ultimate Intercultural Question Game - allowing the questions on the page to be put into practice in easy, friendly ways. When engaged in a game, regular defenses are lowered and connection flows with authenticity.
Both the book and the game are excellent tools to be used by practitioners and hobbyists alike - allowing for meaningful conversations breaking the boundaries between uniquely-wired, cultural, human beings.
Start Reading the Book with a Free Excerpt
Want to start reading the book right now for free?
You can get an excerpt of the book right now!
To buy the book or game, head to InterculturalQuestions.com.
This text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.