This study investigates the causal relationship between the three cultural intelligence (CQ) aspects (meta-cognitive, cognitive and behaviour) and biographic characteristics and both CQ level and CQ competences. The 430 Congolese workers that volunteered to participate by completing a CQ Self-Assessment Scale demonstrated an indistinct CQ level and lack of CQ competences. The findings of this study reveal that besides CQ aspects, only gender predicts CQ level, while gender (1), age, marital status (2) and language group (2) made a significant contribution to the prediction of CQ competences. This study further provides recommendations for future studies to duplicate its research kind countrywide and investigate the phenomenon longitudinally in order to identify structural determinants. Lastly, it advises leaders to introduce learning and training programmes within enterprises to enhance integration in workgroups for business success and to improve workers? cross-cultural adjustment in a culturally-diverse environment.