Mike Newton - When Music Shifts Your Perspective

Mike Newton - When Music Shifts Your Perspective

In this episode, Trisha interviews Mike Newton, CQ Fellow, certified CQ Facilitator, and Director of Organisational Health and Belonging at Young Life. Music reaches us in ways that argument and logic simply can't — but what happens when that same power is used intentionally to shift how we see each other? Could a song be the beat beneath the bridge that connects people across cultural differences? Mike has spent over 25 years building culturally intelligent communities, and when he's not doing that, he's behind the decks. This conversation explores how music works across all four dimensions of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) — from sparking motivation and curiosity, to deepening knowledge of cultures not our own, to shifting perspective in ways that stay with us for decades. Connect with Mike Newton on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikenewton210/] or on Instagram at mrnewton210 [https://www.instagram.com/mrnewton210/] 🎵 Listen to the episode playlist on Spotify: The Beat Beneath The Bridge - Music for The Shift Podcast Episode 82 [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1hLtVCTUrrpD1xEguIvNBJ?si=FzPTqEEjQQ2EwQqxHWJZWA] Join Trisha in this journey of growth and discovery throughout the year via Substack [https://substack.com/@trishacarter] or LinkedIn. [https://apac01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Ftrishacarter%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cc5eb89dc6ec942db331408dcc80477b1%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638605168743563874%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=x%2F63ejunrbKePnq1EtUvIXbPF4iRm5pXvggB1A4Xn1c%3D&reserved=0]

The Shift Recommends

This week, Trisha steps back from a full episode to point you towards two conversations worth your time. She recently appeared as a guest on Victoria Rennoldson's Culture Cuppa podcast — and being on the other side of the microphone had her reflecting in ways she didn't quite expect. The episode, Leading Across Difference, is a candid conversation between two Cultural Intelligence (CQ) practitioners about the future of CQ and where hope lives within it. Trisha also invites you to revisit Episode 28 with Sharon Gray — a Kamilaroi and Scottish woman whose wisdom is woven into the episode's very title. With National Reconciliation Week unfolding in Australia, there's no better moment to listen, or listen again. Both links are in the show notes below. Culture Cuppa — Leading Across Difference with Trisha Carter: https://culturecuppa.com/podcasts/leading-across-difference-with-trisha-carter/ [https://culturecuppa.com/podcasts/leading-across-difference-with-trisha-carter/] Episode 28 — Winanga Guru: Listen Deeply, Go Slowly and Respect Everything with Sharon Gray: https://the-shift-with-trisha-carter.captivate.fm/episode/sharon-gray-winangar-guru-listen-deeply-go-slowly-and-respect-everything/ [https://the-shift-with-trisha-carter.captivate.fm/episode/sharon-gray-winangar-guru-listen-deeply-go-slowly-and-respect-everything/] Join Trisha in this journey of growth and discovery throughout the year via Substack [https://substack.com/@trishacarter] or LinkedIn. [https://apac01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Ftrishacarter%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cc5eb89dc6ec942db331408dcc80477b1%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638605168743563874%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=x%2F63ejunrbKePnq1EtUvIXbPF4iRm5pXvggB1A4Xn1c%3D&reserved=0]

The Cost of Sameness - Voices from Three Continents

In this special episode, Trisha steps back and hands the mic to three voices from three continents — each responding to the same question: what does it feel like when someone says, "We're all the same"? What emerges is something that Cultural Intelligence (CQ) frameworks can name but can't fully capture on their own — the lived experience of cultural blindness. From South Africa, the United States, and Northern Ireland, these three perspectives share a quiet, consistent thread: the weight of being asked to make yourself smaller in the name of fairness. This episode is both a companion to Episode 79 and a milestone — Episode 80 — and it marks the occasion the only way that feels right: by listening. Join Trisha in this journey of growth and discovery throughout the year via Substack [https://substack.com/@trishacarter] or LinkedIn. [https://apac01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Ftrishacarter%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cc5eb89dc6ec942db331408dcc80477b1%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638605168743563874%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=x%2F63ejunrbKePnq1EtUvIXbPF4iRm5pXvggB1A4Xn1c%3D&reserved=0] Voices in this episode: * Samkelo Blom (Episode 37 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/c8b28068-d570-467f-b016-6bbd3926b17d/]) You can learn more about Samkelo and the work of his organisation here [https://www.nomatu.co.za/] and connect with him on Linked In here. [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samkelo-blom-224b3752/] * Dr. Kristal Walker (Episode 58 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/000da798-e84b-416d-b33c-c629789b6270/]) Connect with Dr Kristal Walker on LinkedIn. [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkristalwalker] * Sarah Black (Episode 9 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/7b9e9078-a805-42f5-9232-93fbf8000c62/] and Episode 48 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/9ad98fa3-52f0-41f3-a97f-fac54aed160e/]) Check out Sarah Black on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahathru/] and sign up for her Newsletter [https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7105568195884761089/].

Cultural Blindness- When Fairness isn’t Fair

In this solo episode, Trisha unpacks a concept that often masquerades as unity but can quietly erase the experiences of those it claims to include. What happens when "treating everyone the same" actually means treating everyone as if they share your starting point? How do well-intentioned statements like "I just see you as a person" land on someone whose difference has shaped their entire life? Drawing on insights from her conversation with Chika Miyamori about the Intercultural Development Continuum, Trisha explores the minimization stage, where we focus on what we share while downplaying the significance of difference. She contrasts this with the overview effect experienced by the Artemis II crew, showing how one mindset expands our capacity to see while the other diminishes it. For cultural trainers, coaches, and facilitators, she offers a practical three-question reflection sequence to move groups from minimization toward genuine co-creation. Resources mentioned include Episode 78 (Moon Joy and the Overview Effect) [https://the-shift-with-trisha-carter.captivate.fm/episode/moon-joy-and-cultural-intelligence/] and Episode 75 with Chika Miyamori (Intercultural Development Continuum and the IDI). [https://the-shift-with-trisha-carter.captivate.fm/episode/chika-miyamori-building-bridges-across-differences/] Join Trisha in this journey of growth and discovery throughout the year via Substack [https://substack.com/@trishacarter] or LinkedIn. [https://apac01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Ftrishacarter%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cc5eb89dc6ec942db331408dcc80477b1%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638605168743563874%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=x%2F63ejunrbKePnq1EtUvIXbPF4iRm5pXvggB1A4Xn1c%3D&reserved=0]

Moon Joy and Cultural Intelligence

In this solo episode, Trisha explores what happens when astronauts return from space transformed by what they've seen — and whether Cultural Intelligence (CQ) might help us experience something similar without leaving Earth. What can the Artemis II crew's awe and perspective shifts teach us about seeing ourselves as one crew on a fragile lifeboat? How does the overview effect connect to figure-ground shifts in cultural intelligence work? And if we're wired to see each other as "us" and "them," can CQ help us cultivate a different way of seeing — one where our shared humanity becomes the figure against the vast ground of space? Trisha reflects on concepts introduced by CQ researchers Kok-Yee Ng and Thomas Rockstuhl, connecting astronaut insights to practical CQ applications. She leaves listeners with a question to sit with until next week's continuation of this thread. Resources mentioned: Ng, K. Y., Ang, S., & Rockstuhl, T. (2022). Cultural intelligence: From intelligence in context and across cultures to intercultural contexts. In R. J. Sternberg & D. D. Preiss (Eds.), Intelligence in context: The cultural and historical foundations of human intelligence (pp. 177–200). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92798-1_8 [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92798-1_8] White, F. (2014). The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution. AIAA. NASA photo library: https://images.nasa.gov/ [https://images.nasa.gov/] Referenced in this episode: Episodes 76 and 77: Dr. David Livermore on the Prism framework Episode 8: Dr. Mark Williams - Shifts and the Brain Join Trisha in this journey of growth and discovery throughout the year via Substack [https://substack.com/@trishacarter] or LinkedIn. [https://apac01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Ftrishacarter%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cc5eb89dc6ec942db331408dcc80477b1%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638605168743563874%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=x%2F63ejunrbKePnq1EtUvIXbPF4iRm5pXvggB1A4Xn1c%3D&reserved=0]