intelligence combined with kindness and connection. What happens when we face global tensions, political uncertainties, and fractured communities? How can we move beyond understanding to action that truly builds bridges?

Discover why cultural intelligence alone isn't enough and how adding kindness and meaningful connections transforms the way we navigate differences. Trisha previews conversations ahead with practitioners working in cross-cultural storytelling, music, Japanese multinationals, and social cohesion, while responding to recent events that have tested our collective compassion.

The episode closes with a concrete CQ action: participating in the National Day of Mourning for Bondi through acts of mitzvah—simple, everyday kindness that creates waves of goodwill. This is cultural intelligence in practice: not just knowing, but doing.

Join Trisha in this journey of growth and discovery throughout the year via Substack or LinkedIn.

National Day of Mourning for the victims of the Bondi Beach terrorist attack​

[00:00:39] Trisha: Hello everyone. This is Trisha Carter, organizational psychologist and explorer of Cultural Intelligence. Welcome to episode 69 of The Shift, the podcast that explores what enables us to see things from different perspectives, especially different cultural perspectives, and how we can use our cultural intelligence, our cq, to do that and to help others to do that as well.

[00:01:47] Things are heavy and we all know about the ongoing tensions around migration in the US and in Europe and the Americas. The political uncertainties about who our allies are. And all of this combines to leave many of us feeling a bit unsettled, at the very least, this feels in conflict with every bit of the way that I operate when I think of my cultural intelligence, friends and colleagues. My family's in Global Transition Network, the government and corporate clients I've been working with for years, the people I've coached, I know that this divisiveness is not the way that we function best.

[00:02:52] To overcome the hate that seems to be growing and to show the kindness that many Australian politicians have been calling for. We need cultural intelligence. As individuals, we need it in our hearts, our minds, our heads and our bodies. And if we've got more and more people who embody cultural intelligence in this way, I believe that it'll spread through our workplaces and our communities.

[00:03:52] I think we need CQ Plus and the value that I'm adding. Is kindness. The other key factor from my perspective is connections. Talking and connecting with people near us. People different from us, people far away. Because we become more concerned about different parts of the world.

[00:04:35] Some of you may remember that my hope last year was to interview researchers. Well, dear listener, I tried. Some of them, it was schedules that prevented us getting together.

[00:05:21] My goal, as always, is to help you, dear listener, to grow your understanding of others, to grow your skills and cultural intelligence from that perspective of the value of kindness. And to build connections so that you can feel part of this work and connected to people who are working together to bring about change to help us all.

[00:06:22] And if that nerdy stuff doesn't excite you, we'll also be talking about the real world challenges of working cross-culturally, multi nationally in Japan soon after. Chika I'm speaking with Ned Legaspi. Ned doesn't come from the corporate world. He comes from the world of movies and storytelling. His book, the Culturally Intelligent Storyteller, unpacks Why some movies and stories work across different cultures while others stay in their own culture.

[00:07:20] We are going to discuss two films, one from Australia, the Drover's wife, the Legend of Molly Johnson. That's the film version of the Lee Purcell novel. One is from Thailand, how to make Millions before Grandma Dies.

[00:07:46] I'm also interviewing Mike Newton, and we'll speak about music and cultural intelligence. Mike is a DJ in his spare time and sometimes in his work as well. We are going to be talking about how music can shift people and how we can use music to help ourselves to increase our cultural intelligence and help others shift perspectives in ways that words can't.

[00:08:39] I'm currently looking for the right guests to help us understand what exactly builds and sustains cohesive communities in times of tension, and how CQ can play a role in that work.

[00:09:19] Down the track. I'm hoping that David Livermore can fit us into his busy schedule. He has already take a listen to episodes two and four, right back at the beginning, if you haven't already heard those. That was where we introduced what cultural intelligence is and dived more deeply into the specific area of CQ strategy, which is where shifts can occur.

[00:10:10] And along the way I'm gonna keep talking about ai, artificial intelligence because as you know, if you've listened to some of the earlier episodes, 48 and 64, if you haven't, I think we need to be aware of both the opportunities and the risks that AI is bringing us. I am very aware that this could be a significant factor in the year ahead.

[00:11:01] So if you wanna do more than just listen in, there will be chances to connect further as well. Make sure we connect it on LinkedIn so you can hear about those opportunities.

[00:11:30] I want to close today with a concrete CQ action shift. I'm recording this on Wednesday the 21st of January, and tomorrow on the 22nd of January here in Australia, we're holding a national day of mourning for the victims of the Bondi shootings. We've been asked to take a minute's silence at 1901 Australian Eastern daylight time to share a meal with people to light a candle in our window or on our doorstep as a symbol of memory, mourning and solidarity with the Jewish community. We've also been invited by them to engage in a mitzvah for Bondi. You might be wondering, what is a mitzvah? Well, as fits with our theme, A mitzvah is an act of kindness, compassion, and moral responsibility.

[00:12:58] I'll share a few of them just now. I. Firstly, giving to others. Donating to organizations in service of others, uplifting the sick. Visiting someone who's unwell or in need of support. Open your home offering hospitality, gratitude first, beginning your day with thanks for the good things surrounding you.

[00:14:02] These are acts of kindness that we can take right now, not grand gestures or anything but every day actions that create waves of goodwill, and this is cultural intelligence in action. Not just understanding, but doing something, not just knowledge, but showing kindness and connection. So thank you for being part of the shift.

[00:14:50] Keep shifting. Keep connecting, and keep choosing kindness.

[00:15:02]