Learning Cultural Intelligence & Embracing Cultural Differences at EY’s Workshop
On 18 September, our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Network proudly hosted a workshop titled Cultural Intelligence and Embracing Cultural Diversity, organised in collaboration with EY Malaysia. The interactive session was facilitated by Lee Soo Fern, Member of BMCC’s DEI Chair’s Advisory Group and EY ASEAN Diversity & Inclusiveness Leader and Partner (Talent) from EY Malaysia. The event brought together 40 participants for a day of reflection, learning, and exchange.
The workshop opened with remarks from Natasha Zulkifli, the Chair of the BMCC DEI Network and Director at YTL Construction, who encouraged participants to embrace the spirit of “learning, unlearning, and relearning.”
She highlighted the importance of recognising unconscious biases, receiving feedback with openness, and taking personal responsibility for growth, both as individuals and as business leaders.
The programme’s objectives were designed to help participants…
- Enhance cultural capability by understanding the importance of diversity, building awareness, and increasing cultural agility through tools like GlobeSmart.
- Recognise unconscious bias and how global frames of reference shape career development conversations and teamwork.
- Develop a personal cultural agility acceleration plan to apply these lessons in practice.
Research presented during the session highlighted that diverse teams, when inclusively managed, consistently outperform more homogenous teams—delivering stronger innovation, collaboration, and performance.
A key focus of the workshop was GlobeSmart, a tool to identify individual cultural preferences across five dimensions.
- Independent vs. Interdependent – How do I derive my identity?
- Egalitarianism vs. Status – How should power and authority be distributed?
- Risk vs. Certainty – How do I make decisions in ambiguous situations?
- Direct vs. Indirect – How do I communicate requests, tasks, and feedback?
- Task vs. Relationship – How do I approach a new project?
Through engaging case studies and group exercises, participants applied these dimensions to real-world workplace scenarios, exchanging perspectives and strategies to improve collaboration across cultures.
The workshop underscored that cultural intelligence is a mindset that begins with self-awareness and grows through active curiosity about others. True diversity creates stronger, more adaptable teams that thrive on different perspectives. Leaders who understand and embrace cultural differences can communicate with greater clarity, reduce unconscious bias, and foster genuine inclusivity in decision-making and collaboration.
The BMCC is proud to host initiatives like this through our DEI Network, which continues to champion dialogue and action in fostering inclusive workplaces. We extend our sincere thanks to EY Malaysia for their support in delivering such a meaningful session, and to all participants for their enthusiastic engagement.
If you are a BMCC member looking to join the dialogue for change, join our DEI Network by contacting Nicole@bmcc.org.my
