Next Intercultural Exchange: What We Carry · Tuesday, October 20 · Toronto
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🏆 2026 Canadian Workplace Leadership Award Recipient

Host, The Intercultural Exchange™ · 2x TEDx Speaker

I host rooms where people finally say what they’ve been carrying.

Then I help leaders build teams where that happens every day. Through keynotes, workshops and coaching, I help organizations see the culture gaps that cost them international talent, and close them for good.

Bring This to Your Team See The Intercultural Exchange

20+ years working across cultures
2 TEDx talks
54 episodes of Intercultural Insiders
100% of 451 responses rated sessions valuable

John Edward McGraw on stage hosting Love Beyond Borders, the premiere of The Intercultural Exchange, April 2026

Photo: Qamara Creatives

As Featured In

TEDxQueensU

TEDxUofTScarborough

CHCH Morning Live

Canadian HR Reporter

Authority Magazine

CanadianSME

Canadian Immigrant

CanvasRebel

Bold Journey

CERIC/CareerWise

Speaker Slam

Past Speaking Clients

The Intercultural Exchange

True stories. Ten minutes each. A room that listens.

The Intercultural Exchange is the live storytelling series I created and host in Toronto. At each edition, everyday people share one true 10-minute story about life across cultures. There are no slides and no scripts. I coach every speaker before they step up. Then Story Crossing turns the stage around, and people from the audience get two minutes to tell a story of their own.

It’s the same idea behind all my work, with a microphone and a full room. When people hear the story underneath, they stop reading difference as friction.

Before The Intercultural Exchange, I hosted 54 episodes of Intercultural Insiders (2022–2023), a podcast where newcomers and expats told me what crossing cultures was really like. Now those stories have a live room.

Watch the Highlights Visit The Intercultural Exchange

The four Love Beyond Borders storytellers with host John Edward McGraw, April 2026 — Photo: Qamara Creatives

Sold out. Our premiere, Love Beyond Borders, filled the Black Swan Tavern in April 2026.

From the audience to the stage. Two of the five What We Carry speakers first stood up during Story Crossing in April.

On screen. The October stories are being filmed for a series on Rivo.

More than one person told us afterward they’d felt this but had never heard anyone say it out loud.

Series partners

Official Broadcast Partner

Community Partner

Three ways to work with me

A private edition of The Intercultural Exchange for your team, conference or community.

Start the conversation → Speak

Keynotes and workshops built on LEAP™, SPEAK™ and SHAPE™, the frameworks I developed for leading and communicating across cultures.

See the keynotes → Coach

One-on-one and team coaching through Hiyaku Coaching™ for leaders working across cultural lines.

Explore coaching →

Signature Keynotes & Workshops

Each talk is built on a framework John developed over 20+ years working across cultures. Audiences leave with specific tools, not just ideas.

Flagship Keynote

LEAP Over the Culture Gaps: How to Lead Beyond Assumptions

We form snap judgments in a tenth of a second. In diverse workplaces, those judgments can silence talent, erode trust, and cost millions. LEAP gives leaders a step-by-step process for catching those assumptions before they do damage.

Ideal for: Conferences, leadership summits, corporate events

Let go of assumptions Engage with curiosity Assess possibilities Perform with insight

Communication Keynote

SPEAK to Be Understood: Inclusive Communication for Diverse Teams

When capable people can't hear each other across cultural divides, the problem is rarely talent. Most of the time, it's translation. SPEAK is the inclusive communication checklist that ensures your message lands.

Ideal for: Managers, team leads, L&D professionals

Simplify Pause and listen Enunciate and pace Ask and clarify Keep respect at the centre

Career Integration Keynote

SHAPE Your Canadian Career: Decode the Unspoken Rules of Work Culture

Every workplace has invisible rules. SHAPE names the five core values that define Canadian work culture, so internationally trained professionals can decode what's unspoken without having to erase where they came from.

Ideal for: Newcomer programs, HR teams, career services

Sociability Harmony Acceptance Privacy Efficiency

On the TEDx Stage

“When Yes Isn’t Yes”

John’s TEDxQueensU talk — how small cultural misreads quietly silence talent in the workplace, and what leaders can do about it. Filmed live at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. Watch the full talk below, then like and subscribe to help it reach more leaders.

TEDxQueensU · January 2026

“When ‘Yes’ Isn’t Yes: How Cultural Misreads Silence Talent”

Watch on YouTube →

TEDxUTSC

“Crazy Bus Guy and the Stories We Write Too Fast”

Coming soon

Enjoyed it? Share the talk, and watch John’s Speaker Slam talk “When in Doubt, Choose C” — the story that inspired this talk →

John Edward McGraw leaning in to listen to participants during a small-group session

Photo: Katrin Faridani

The Story Behind the Mission

A classroom moment in Japan changed everything

In 2005, a student named Kenji nodded "yes" when John asked if he understood the lesson. He left blanks on the test. When confronted, Kenji went silent. A colleague explained: "He's Japanese and you're his teacher. He wouldn't disrespect you by saying he didn't understand."

Kenji never returned to class. That moment changed how John taught, and eventually, how he works. He replaced "Do you understand?" with "Can you explain the instructions back to me?" — a small change that dropped misunderstandings and built trust.

John spent 15 years teaching English in Japan and Canada, the start of more than 20 years working across cultures. Kenji was the student who taught him the most. That moment is why John calls himself the Cultural Lens Shifter.

When he returned to Canada, he saw the same dynamic in workplaces everywhere: newcomers staying silent, managers misreading respect as disengagement, and talent quietly walking out the door. Today, through Hiyaku Coaching and his signature frameworks, John helps organizations stop losing people to silence they never noticed.

ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) Certified COF Practitioner 20+ Years Working Across Cultures 2x TEDx Speaker Hosted 54 Episodes of Intercultural Insiders 🏆 2026 Canadian Workplace Leadership Award

2

TEDx Talks

20+

Years Working Across Cultures

6+

National Publications

54

Podcast Episodes (Intercultural Insiders)

What People Are Saying

Trusted by Organizations Across Canada

From corporate workshops to conference keynotes, John's impact resonates with audiences and decision-makers alike.

"John has been my mentor for the past two years. When a foreign company acquired the company I worked for, and I was invited to their office, he prepared me to meet the team; he educated me about mergers and acquisitions by foreign companies and recommended reading materials. With the preparation, I felt authentic, secure, and confident communicating with them, and I had a successful trip. His insight and guidance have been instrumental in shaping my journey."

Risa Hinokuma

Global Queue Manager, ServiceNow

"John’s ‘Speak For Results’ workshop was insightful and impactful. It brought to light the subtle barriers that often prevent open communication and offered practical strategies through the SPEAK framework. I left with a deeper appreciation for the role of inclusive communication in building trust and understanding."

Wafa Agha

Founder & Executive Director, Local Business Champion

"John is an exceptional facilitator and educator. His ability to engage students through dynamic and interactive teaching impressed me. He effectively encourages students to share their experiences, fostering an environment of open dialogue on the impact of cultural awareness. John’s unique perspective on navigating new cultures while maintaining one’s identity resonated strongly with our diverse group. His expertise and passion make him a valuable asset to any institution promoting cross-cultural understanding."

Mika Tamura

International Office Professor, Kyushu University

"What a great message — ‘When newcomers miss out, businesses miss out.’ So clear!"

Gillian Parlane

TEDx Speaker, Message Coach & Keynote Speaker

"It’s been great having John as a partner of our program. Our participants often provide feedback on how insightful and knowledgeable he is, which makes their learning experience pleasant and engaging."

JVS Toronto

Employment & Settlement Services

"Participating in this workshop was an invaluable experience, especially as a newcomer. The knowledge I gained not only helped me adapt to my new surroundings but also played a key role in my job search. I learned how to tailor my approach, understand workplace expectations, and build confidence."

Youssra Ouachene

Select Service Specialist, Fidelity Investments Canada

"John is an exceptional individual. An outstanding coach, and an exceptional speaker, content creator, and communicator. With his rich intercultural experience, he founded a business dedicated to helping professionals navigate cultural differences. Beyond his expertise, John is a composed, thoughtful professional with a big heart — a dedicated contributor to the community, particularly supporting newcomers to Canada as they navigate the job market."

Megumi Takamori

Business Development & Operations | MA, Immigration & Settlement Studies

Work With John

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