John McGraw, ACC, IDI QA

🌏I help newcomers and expats connect across cultures to be successful in less time and pain 🌏 Intercultural Trainer 🌍 Certified Business Coach

I am a Multicultural Workplace Expert, Inclusive Communication Specialist, and Human Connection Speaker. I founded Hiyaku Coaching — a culture-communication consultancy — named for the Japanese word “Hiyaku” (hee-YA-koo), meaning “leap forward.” 

I help organizations and leaders navigate cultural divides, integrate international talent and foster multicultural workplaces where inclusive performance thrives.

I built my expertise during fifteen years teaching English in Japan and Canada, where I discovered that language training alone cannot bridge cultural divides. 

I hold an ICF credential in coaching and have partnered with JVS Toronto, the Workplace & Immigrant Network in Waterloo, and the Simcoe County Economic Development Office to strengthen cultural fluency and boost retention. 

My methods empower leaders and international professionals to collaborate effectively, break down barriers and accelerate shared success.

Intercultural Coach and Founder

Okinawan soba surprised me last night.

So did my own assumptions.

On New Year’s Eve, Liliana and I chased a small tradition.

年越しそば (Toshikoshi soba) is a simple Japanese ritual of welcoming the new year by eating soba noodles, and neither of us grew up with it. We started it in Japan, right after I landed on December 31, 2024.

Last night in Toronto, we found Okinawan soba at Tondou Ramen instead. It was close enough to bring back the memory, and different enough from mainland soba to remind me that “Japanese” isn’t one experience.

That’s the leadership lesson I keep relearning.

In a multicultural city, we can feel fluent because we can name the foods and festivals. Then a new hire goes quiet in a meeting, or waits to speak until they’re invited, and we quietly label it. Unprepared. Disengaged. Lacking confidence.

Sometimes it’s comfort. Sometimes it’s respect. Sometimes it’s the leftover caution of being the outsider who doesn’t want to take up too much space.

When leaders get curious before they conclude, they protect belonging and they keep strong talent in the room long enough to contribute.

Practical tip: Pick one “odd” behaviour this week and ask, “What might this mean in their context?”

What’s a label you’ve caught yourself making lately, and what would curiosity change?

John Edward McGraw

Helping leaders turn cultural differences into strategic advantages 🟡 Multicultural Workplace Expert 🟡 Inclusive Communication Specialist 🟡 Human Connection Speaker 🟡 Founder of Hiyaku Coaching

Two groups watched one fish swim.

They argued about what happened.

I’ve been thinking about how quietly our cultural lenses run the show.

In preparation for my talk at TEDxQueensU, I revisited a classic study where American and Chinese participants watched the same short video of a school of fish. 

One fish moved a little differently. That’s all.

Yet the stories split.

The American participants leaned toward an internal story: “That fish is a leader,” “It’s more independent.”

The Chinese participants leaned toward a context story: “The group is pushing it forward,” “The others are chasing it.”

Same fish. Same movement. Different interpretation.

This shows up at work in ways that sting. A pause becomes “not confident.” A direct question becomes “rude.” A quiet contributor gets overlooked, then eventually stops trying.

When leaders name the lens before judging the person, teams make better calls and trust grows faster across difference.

That’s why I advocate a simple reset I call the LEAP framework: Let go of assumptions, Engage with curiosity, Assess possibilities, Perform with insight.

Practical tip: Today, ask, “What else could be true?” before you label someone’s behaviour.

Where have you caught yourself telling a confident story about a coworker that might have been your lens talking?

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