In this special episode, Trisha and returning guest Ned Legaspi — cultural intelligence consultant, CQ Fellow, and author of Culturally Intelligent Storytelling for Southeast Asian Creators — put the Bamboo Framework to work by analyzing a film together. The movie? The Thai sensation How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.

What makes a story travel across borders without losing its cultural soul? Why did a quietly paced, deeply collectivist Thai film move audiences to tears from the Philippines to Indonesia — while barely registering in the US? Trisha and Ned unpack the cultural dimensions woven through the film — from collectivism and power distance to indirect communication and the Thai concept of Bun Khun — exploring why emotional truth is universal, but its expression is always culturally specific.

Connect with Ned at nedlegaspi.com and on LinkedIn. His book, Culturally Intelligent Storytelling for Southeast Asian Creators, is available globally on Amazon, Apple Books, and Google Books.

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

Trisha is running a webinar with the Australian Psychological Society on Cultural Intelligence and Social Cohesion — open to psychologists, therapists, and coaches. Link: psychology.org.au/event/25795

Referenced in This Episode: Global Dexterity by Andy Molinsky (recommended by David Livermore) Episode 70 — Ned Legaspi and the Bamboo Framework (Part 1) Episode 71 — Trisha reflects on culturally intelligent storytelling

In this solo episode, Trisha unpacks a powerful question: What if the most important cultural intelligence work isn't happening in training rooms at all?

Drawing on Malcolm Gladwell's concept of the "overstory"—the shared narratives hovering above us that shape what we consider normal—Trisha explores how stories themselves shift these invisible cultural frameworks. From a 1978 TV drama that gave America permission to talk about the Holocaust, to Bad Bunny's history-making Super Bowl performance that had 135 million people experiencing Puerto Rican culture through their bodies, this episode examines the ecosystem of cultural change.

How do storytellers, experience creators, and CQ facilitators work together to help people see beyond the narratives they're living under? Trisha previews upcoming conversations with Ned Legaspi applying his CIS Bamboo Framework to specific films, starting with "How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies."

Resources mentioned include "Revenge of the Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell and Ned Legaspi's "Culturally Intelligent Storytelling" framework.

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

In this episode, Trisha interviews Ned Legaspi, a CQ Fellow and cultural intelligence consultant who spent three decades pioneering diaspora storytelling with ABS-CBN Global, the Philippines' leading media conglomerate.

Why do some stories resonate across continents while others remain culturally bound? What if the key to global storytelling isn't neutralizing culture, but deepening it? Ned introduces the CIS Bamboo Framework—a groundbreaking approach that asks not "what happens next?" but "what matters here?" Drawing from films like Parasite and How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, he reveals how stories rooted in specific cultural logic can bend without breaking, traveling authentically across cultural clusters. Discover why bamboo's interconnected roots mirror the way meaning moves through storytelling, and how cultural intelligence transforms the way creators approach narrative craft. Stay tuned for an upcoming episode where Ned and Trisha will apply this framework to analyze two powerful films: The Drover's Wife and How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.

Connect with Ned at nedlegaspi.com and on LinkedIn. His book, Culturally Intelligent Storytelling for Southeast Asian Creators, is available globally on Amazon, Apple Books, and Google Books.

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

Resources Mentioned:

1. Book: Culturally Intelligent Storytelling for Southeast Asian Creators by Ned Legaspi
2. Available globally on Amazon, Apple Books, Google Books, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo
3. Available in the Philippines on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop
4. Book: Leading With Cultural Intelligence by Dr. David Livermore

Films Discussed:

1. Parasite (South Korea)
2. Squid Game (South Korea)
3. Money Heist / La Casa de Papel (Spain)
4. Dark (Germany)
5. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (Thailand)

Coming Soon: Stay tuned for upcoming episodes where Ned and Trisha analyze specific films using the CIS...

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​

Content note: This episode addresses recent acts of terror and may be difficult for some listeners.

In this solo episode, Trisha responds to the recent Bondi Beach shooting with a gentle but powerful reminder: cultural intelligence isn't just for crossing borders—it can be lifesaving in times of crisis.

What happens when fear spikes and communities fracture? How do we stay motivated to understand rather than retreat into tribalism? Trisha explores how CQ's four capabilities—Drive, Knowledge, Strategy, and Action—offer a framework for navigating tragedy, trauma, and rising tensions. She honours the diverse heroes who ran toward danger, from Ahmed Al Ahmed to Jessica Rosen, showing how humanity transcends cultural boundaries in moments that matter most.

This episode asks: Who are we standing with? Who are we standing for? And what does it mean to stand together when the world tries to pull us apart? Trisha offers practical guidance on processing trauma while maintaining the curiosity and connection that CQ requires, even—especially—when it's hardest.

If you're struggling, help is available 24/7:

For Australian listeners:

NSW Mental Health Line: 1800 011 511

Lifeline: 13 11 14, text 0477 13 11 14 or chat online

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or chat online

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or chat online

1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or chat online

13 Yarn: 13 92 76

MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78

Emergency: 000.

International listeners can find support at https://findahelpline.com/

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

In this episode, Trisha interviews returning guest Lucy Butters, a master facilitator in cultural intelligence with the Cultural Intelligence Centre and author of the new book "Cultural Intelligence in Practice: Expert Insights for Trainers in a Multicultural Globalised World."

What happens when a CQ trainer discovers that the most challenging cultural contexts aren't in distant lands, but close to home? How can holding discomfort with curiosity rather than rushing to judgment transform the way we navigate cultural differences? Lucy shares insights from interviewing 12 CQ experts across the globe, revealing how the writing process itself became a mirror—exposing hidden cultural assumptions in everything from word choices to argumentative tone. The conversation explores her father's wisdom about looking out "with love and respect," and why Lucy explicitly asks readers to use their own cultural intelligence while reading her book.

Buy Lucy's book, Cultural Intelligence in Practice, here! And take a look at Cross Cultural Catalysts. Cross Cultural Catalysts will be a home for cross-cultural facilitators by fostering a collaborative community where members can sharpen their skills, share expertise, and amplify their impact. In 2026, Lucy and Dr Lyla Kohistany will be launching this network. If you wish to be kept up to date about the launch, please register your interest here.

Listen to Lucy's first episode on the Shift - Shifts for Cultural Intelligence Facilitators

Make sure you join Trisha in this journey of growth and discovery throughout the year via Substack or LinkedIn.

In this episode, Trisha interviews Emma Jordaan, founder and CEO of Infinite Consulting, TEDx speaker, and author of Dubai Decode, who helps leaders navigate cultural dynamics in one of the world's most diverse workplaces—the UAE.

What happens when your team knows you're making the wrong decision but stays silent because "you are the boss"? How do you bridge the gap between having cultural knowledge and actually applying it with intentionality? Emma unpacks her proprietary RAPID framework—a cultural intelligence strategy tool that helps professionals slow down their cross-cultural interactions before they react. Discover how recognising, assessing, pausing, interpreting, and deciding can transform cultural complexity from a barrier into a competitive advantage, and why listening with your whole body might be the CQ strategy skill you've been missing.

Connect with Emma on LinkedIn and explore her book Dubai Decoded for deeper insights into navigating cultural diversity. You can also check out Emma's podcast, The HR and CQ Show with Emma Jordaan and Sarah Brooks.

Make sure you join Trisha in this journey of growth and discovery throughout the year via Substack or LinkedIn.

In this episode, Trisha reviews five powerful transformation stories to uncover what practitioners can learn about creating conditions for genuine perspective shifts.

What if we stopped trying to teach people into transformation and instead learned to cultivate the conditions where change becomes inevitable? Through stories of systemic awakening, identity work, and unexpected wisdom from a 10-year-old, this episode explores how dissonance, experience, and reflection intersect to create profound shifts—not just in thinking, but in being.

For intercultural trainers, coaches, and CQ facilitators, the insights here challenge conventional approaches: brave spaces over safe spaces, productive discomfort over protection, sustained journeys over quick fixes. Discover why the most powerful shifts often can't be taught—only witnessed and supported.

The episode revisits conversations with Dr. Kristal Walker, Andrew Sykes, Amel Derragui, Dr. Hanlie Van Wyk, and Jerry Jones, drawing practical lessons for anyone working to help others expand their cultural intelligence and capacity for perspective-taking.

Make sure you join Trisha in this journey of growth and discovery throughout the year via Substack or LinkedIn.

Amel Derragui - From School Canteens to Global Communities

Andrew Sykes - Building Trust, Floor by Floor

Dr. Kristal Walker - Building Authenticity and Cultural Intelligence Together

Jerry Jones - Helping Teams Get Unstuck Through Human Connection

Hanlie van Wyk - Reasonable Revolutionaries and Human Eco-Cultures

Quinton Pretorius - Shifts Through Experiential Learning