The Culturally Intelligent Safety Professional

Greg Dearsly
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In today’s multi-cultural organisations, cultural intelligence capabilities will be critical to enable health and safety practitioners and professionals to build interpersonal trust with members of the workforce. This podcast provides a platform whereby Safety Professionals can develop a pathway to enhance their cultural intelligence capability, helping them to function effectively when working in a multi-cultural situation.

  1. Jun 29

    CQSP S3E7 The Me Mataara Journey: From Research to Reality with Vance Walker.

    The episode is a follow up from season 2 wehere Vance Walker intorduced Me Mataara. This time we take a look back, find out whats happening now and look to the future. Me Mataara has moved from being an idea to becoming a real-world project, with workers actively contributing data that is beginning to demonstrate the value of bringing culture into everyday health and safety practice. Thje opsiode explores cultural intelligence  and its broad scope, incorporating not only ethnicity but the different experiences, beliefs and perspectives that shape how people recognise risk, make decisions and respond in the workplace. We discuss the importance of communication. Better safety doesn't always require more procedures it often requires clearer language that workers can genuinely understand and connect with. Vance challenged us to think less about proving cultural approaches belong in safety, and more about finding practical ways to embed them into everyday work.

    CQSP S3E7 The Me Mataara Journey: From Research to Reality with Vance Walker.

  2. Jun 15

    CQSP S3E6 - Wanderlust and Gypsy Blood with Eldeen Pozniak

    “In this episode of The Culturally Intelligent Safety Professional, I sit down face-to-face with my good friend and global safety leader, Eldeen Pozniak, while we’re in Bali following the wedding of a colleague. Eldeen shares her remarkable journey from growing up on a farm in rural Canada to working across 33 countries and six continents in health, safety and wellbeing. Together, we explore why technical safety knowledge alone is no longer enough. We discuss the growing importance of emotional intelligence, organizational intelligence, and particularly cultural intelligence in influencing safer outcomes in increasingly diverse workplaces. Eldeen shares practical stories from around the world, moments where cultural misunderstandings created barriers, and where curiosity, empathy and adaptability helped build trust and improve safety outcomes. We also unpack why safety professionals must move beyond compliance and become influential leaders who understand people, power, communication and culture. If you’ve ever wondered how cultural intelligence shapes leadership, worker engagement and safety performance in global workplaces, this conversation is packed with insights and real-world lessons.”

    CQSP S3E6 - Wanderlust and Gypsy Blood with Eldeen Pozniak

  3. Jun 1

    CQSP S3E5 - People, Culture, Safety: The Story Behind My Book.

    In this special episode of The Culturally Intelligent Safety Professional, I do something a little different, I read the introductory chapter of my upcoming book on cultural intelligence and safety. Health and safety professionals work in increasingly diverse environments, yet many of the challenges we face, misunderstandings, reluctance to speak up, different perceptions of risk, communication barriers, and trust, are deeply influenced by culture. In this episode, I explore ten common cultural pain points experienced in safety, introduce the concept of Cultural Intelligence (CQ), and share a personal story about a marae experience that profoundly shaped my understanding of culture, leadership, humility, and learning. Whether you're a safety professional, leader, or someone wanting to better connect across differences, this episode offers a practical and deeply human perspective on why cultural intelligence may be one of the most important capabilities for the future of workplace safety.

  4. May 18

    CQSP S3E4 - Who Gets a Seat at the Table? Pasifika Voices in Governance

    This episode is a bit different. I have provided some context and in the show notes is a link to another podcast I appeared on called Board Talks Off the Cuff which focussed on Pacifika and the challenges faced in pursuing a seat at a governance table. The podcast is sponsored by the Institute of Directors and the link is below.  https://www.iod.org.nz/news/boardroom/podcasts-3/podcast-board-talk-off-the-cuff#/

  5. May 4

    CQSP S3E3 Finding Your Voice: A Gen Z Perspective on Culture, Communication & Belonging with Michelle Nguyen

    In this episode, I spoke with Michelle Nguyen, a Gen Z community development professional originally from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, now building her career in Aotearoa New Zealand. Michelle shares her journey of moving abroad at a young age and navigating her first experiences in Western workplaces where communication is more direct, hierarchy is flatter, and speaking up is expected. Together, we explore how cultural background shapes the way people engage at work, particularly in environments where psychological safety and open dialogue are critical. We discuss the contrast between indirect and direct communication styles, the challenge of finding your voice in a new culture, and the role leaders play in creating environments where diverse perspectives are genuinely heard. Michelle also reflects on her research into leadership communication and employee engagement, highlighting how two-way communication can strengthen connection, trust, and performance. For safety professionals and leaders, this conversation offers practical insight into how cultural intelligence impacts engagement, inclusion, and ultimately safer workplaces. From small everyday moments like sharing food or asking questions, to bigger systemic shifts around voice and belonging, this episode is a reminder that safety is deeply human, and culturally shaped. A thoughtful and honest discussion about identity, adaptation, and what it really takes to create workplaces where everyone feels safe to contribute.

    CQSP S3E3 Finding Your Voice: A Gen Z Perspective on Culture, Communication & Belonging with Michelle Nguyen

  6. Apr 20

    The CQSP S3E2 - What Filipino Storytelling Can Teach Us About Safety with Ned Legaspi

    In this episode I catch up with Ned Legasby, author, CQ Fellow, and former media executive to explore how cultural intelligence (CQ) shapes not just storytelling, but how people experience work, risk, and safety. Ned shares his journey from a 30-year career in media to developing a framework for culturally intelligent storytelling, sparked by a simple but powerful question: Can stories truly resonate across cultures? Through examples from Southeast Asian cinema, including the viral Thai film How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, Ned unpacks how stories travel, not by becoming more “global,” but by becoming more culturally specific and authentic. The conversation then shifts into the workplace, where Ned helps to connect these ideas to safety practice in culturally diverse environments. Key Takeaways Cultural intelligence is not optional, it’s foundational. Whether in storytelling or safety, understanding how culture shapes behavior is essential. Silence is not disengagement. In Filipino and other collectivist cultures, silence can signal respect, care, or a desire to preserve dignity, not a lack of awareness. Safety is relational, not just individual. Concepts like kapwa (shared identity) shift responsibility from “my safety” to “our safety.” Cultural values influence risk perception. Ideas like bahala na are often misunderstood, what looks like risk tolerance may actually reflect trust, faith, or optimism. Leadership must adapt, not assume. High power distance cultures may not challenge unsafe decisions, placing greater responsibility on leaders to invite input. Storytelling is a powerful safety tool. Stories create understanding where rules and procedures often fail. Final Reflection If we are serious about safety, we must go beyond systems and compliance. We must understand people. Because the difference between compliance and genuine care is often cultural.

    The CQSP S3E2 - What Filipino Storytelling Can Teach Us About Safety with Ned Legaspi

  7. Apr 6

    The CQSP S3E1 - Risk Is Universal - Responses Aren’t. Michelle Dykstra

    In this episode, I chat with Michelle and explore how her cultural intelligence was shaped through lived experience and why it matters in the world of safety. Michelle draws on her upbringing as the daughter of Dutch immigrants, her early experiences of different cultures through travel, and her involvement in working across diverse industries and workforces, Michelle shares how culture quietly influenced trust, communication, and decision-making at work. From learning to adapt her natural directness and creating psychologically safe environments for workers from different cultural backgrounds, Michelle also had to navigate culture shock as she moved from one organisational settings to another. Our conversation challenges some of the long-held assumptions in health and safety practice. This episode reminds us that safety isn’t just about systems and compliance, it’s about people. And if we want better outcomes, we need to get better at understanding them. Key Takeaways Self-awareness is the starting point - Understanding how your communication style is received by others is critical to building trust and influence. Those with perceived power must adapt - Safety professionals and leaders carry responsibility to adjust their approach to suit the needs of others, not the other way around. Culture goes beyond ethnicity - Organisational culture, upbringing, life experience, and context all shape how people interpret risk and respond to safety. Surface signals can be misleading - Smiles, silence, and agreement don’t always mean understanding or wellbeing, there’s often more beneath the surface. Listening is a skill that needs to be developed - Effective safety practice requires listening beyond words to understand intent, context, and unspoken concerns.

    The CQSP S3E1 - Risk Is Universal - Responses Aren’t. Michelle Dykstra

  8. 07/07/2025

    CQSP S2EP13 From Chiang Mai to F1 & Inclusion with Marsha Ramroop

    What a conversation, Marsha always manages to include seriousness, professionalism and fun into every conversation. Before we wrap this episode, let’s reflect on a few key takeaways from my conversation with the incredible Marsha Ramroop: Inclusion Starts with Behavior, Not Identity Marsha emphasized that true inclusion isn't about categorizing others—it’s about examining our own behaviors. This teaches us to Start with introspection to build more inclusive environments.Cultural Intelligence is the “How” of Inclusion Through the Cultural Intelligence (CQ) framework, Marsha showed us how behaviors can be intentionally shaped to drive better outcomes in diversity and safety. CQ really does bridge the gap between intent and impact.Safety Without Inclusion Isn’t Really Safe From PPE fit to fire door accessibility, Marsha unpacked how exclusionary design can undermine safety efforts. In short If your safety practices aren’t inclusive, they’re not effective.Storytelling as a Tool for Change Drawing from her journalism career, Marsha shared how telling unheard stories can shift perspectives and reshape organizational culture. Giving voice to the unheard is how empathy and change begin.Designing for Inclusion = Designing for Everyone Whether in architecture or policy, inclusive design benefits more than just marginalized groups—it creates better systems for all. Inclusion is not a nice-to-have; it’s a design principle for progress.

    CQSP S2EP13 From Chiang Mai to F1 & Inclusion with Marsha Ramroop
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In today’s multi-cultural organisations, cultural intelligence capabilities will be critical to enable health and safety practitioners and professionals to build interpersonal trust with members of the workforce. This podcast provides a platform whereby Safety Professionals can develop a pathway to enhance their cultural intelligence capability, helping them to function effectively when working in a multi-cultural situation.

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