The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe how higher education leaders demonstrated dimensions of cultural intelligence during exchanges with a US international education workforce. Cultural Intelligence (CQ) theory guided the research questions: How do higher education leaders describe general and specific knowledge of alternative cultural frameworks during exchanges with a US international education workforce? How do higher education leaders demonstrate planning, awareness, and cultural information checking during culturally diverse exchanges with a US international education workforce? Twenty-four US higher education leaders overseeing an international education workforce were recruited from 10 social media sites. Inclusive leadership (IL) was an analytical lens for constant comparison analysis of interview and questionnaire data. Leaders described cognitive CQ subdimensions as (a) learnable alternative cultural frameworks, (b) leadership differences attributed to national and organizational culture, (c) communicating criticism with cultural appropriateness, (d) understanding cultural values for inclusive leadership, and (e) being mindful about cultural differences in higher education leadership practice, answering RQ1. Leaders demonstrated metacognitive subdimension through (f) reflective inclusive actions, (g) research, (h) communicating cultural frameworks, and (i) emotional responses and language differences, addressing RQ2. Cognitive CQ subdimensions provided a limited frame of reference, which leaders adjusted during exchanges using the metacognitive CQ subdimensions. This study contributes knowledge on effective leadership in a US higher education setting, expanding CQ and IL research. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]