John McGraw, ACC, IDI QA

Hiyaku Coaching

Founder and CEO

Rosinski & Company

Certified COF

Self Employed

I help committed Japanese professionals improve their job performance and secure future career opportunities by advancing their communication skills in English.

Business English Coach for Japanese Professionals

Optimum Talent | Integrated Talent Management

* Reviewing and editing resumes for clients looking for new employment or to change careers, ensuring they will be more likely to be called in for interviews
* Updating clients’ awareness of currently accepted resume formats, enabling them to be parsed by automated tracking systems and read by HR staff more easily

Career Transition and Outplacement Consultant

ILSC Education Group

• Teaching classes of up to 17 students in varied levels, covering all skill areas, ensuring continuity in the students’ learning experiences
• Making formative and summative assessments of student abilities, including weekly examinations, which ensures consistency in the school’s levels and provides feedback on areas where students need improvement

English Teacher

• Instructed student groups of up to 16, covering the four major skill areas with a particular focus on written grammar and speaking
• Developed materials that activated schemata and engaged students, increasing their motivation and interest in the lesson objectives

Waseda University

• Taught classes of up to six students in all levels, focusing on speaking skills
• Motivated students to take risks by creating a positive learning environment and tailoring lesson topics to their interests
• Graded student performance with written feedback after every class and wrote midterm and final assessments, giving advice on how to continue their learning outside of the classroom

English Tutor

AEON Corporation

• Provided in-house instruction to corporate client groups of up to 20, enabling them to conduct international business more effectively
• Wrote individual student reports at mid-point and end of session, which enhanced their awareness on achievements and areas for improvement

Business English Teacher

Nova Group Japan

• Gave instruction in English conversation to adults and children, which allowed them to improve their skills in a fun and relaxed atmosphere
• Conducted speaking and listening assessments for prospective and current students, ensuring consistency in placement and encouraging prospects to sign up for classes

English Instructor

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

🇨🇦 Are you a newcomer to Canada? 

😧 Are you struggling with networking and settling in? 👇

You might think it will just take time.

But what opportunities could you lose in the meantime?

Maybe you’re afraid of becoming so Canadian that your identity will disappear.

But what will you lose if you get stuck in your comfort zone?

The fact is, if you develop your cross-cultural awareness and skills, you can adapt faster and still keep your identity.

I know how hard it can be. My seven years in Japan fuelled my passion for intercultural communication and understanding.

That’s why I founded Hiyaku Coaching—to help newcomers, expats, and businesses in Canada connect across cultures to succeed in less time and pain.

If you are ready to make a change, let’s talk. 

I offer one-to-one and group coaching for anyone who works across cultures, whether you were born in Canada or elsewhere.

If you work for an organization that helps newcomers, I can facilitate cross-cultural workshops for your clients and staff. 

I have run workshops for a number of organizations, such as:

🌐 JVS Toronto
🌐 Achēv
🌐 Brilliant Minds Group
🌐 Toronto Business Development Centre

Together, we will:

🇨🇦 Activate your cultural awareness with scientific assessments
🇨🇦 Develop your roadmap to success
🇨🇦 Apply your new knowledge to thrive in any culture

Let’s partner together to make your Canadian dreams a reality!

Intercultural Coach and Founder

Love goes beyond language.

Understanding goes beyond culture.

My wife, Liliana Nakamura, was born and raised in Argentina to Japanese parents. 

Spanish is her first language, but she speaks Japanese and English fluently. In her heart, she’s a Latina.

We met shortly after I moved to Japan, and she completely shifted my perspective on culture and identity. 

Before that, I thought I understood multiculturalism. 

But knowing her taught me that identity isn’t a simple box—it’s layered, dynamic, and deeply personal.

In Canada, people often assume she’s “just” Japanese because of her appearance and family name. 

In Japan, others assume one of her parents must be non-Japanese. 

Seeing her navigate those assumptions has been a constant reminder that appearances only tell part of the story.

She’s taught me that real understanding begins where assumptions end—a lesson that shapes everything I speak about in my work today.

Being married to her has been the greatest gift of my life and a daily reminder that bridging culture gaps begins at home. ❤️

Here we are celebrating Diwali together with friends. One of many moments where cultures, languages, and love come together beautifully.

John Edward McGraw

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

Different roots. Shared growth.

Building bridges that help us all thrive 👇

I’m honoured to be featured front and centre in the latest newsletter from Canadian Immigrant.

Coming back from Japan, where I had my own experience of being an outsider, I’ve seen how deeply immigration shapes Canada’s story.

We are a nation built on immigration.

There’s still so much room to grow, especially in times like these, when uncertainty reminds us how much stronger we are together.

If my work through Hiyaku Coaching and my SHAPE Framework can make that process a little smoother, then I feel I’ve done something meaningful.

Now I’d love to hear from you:

If you’ve immigrated to Canada, what’s one thing you’ve appreciated or contributed?
And if you were born here, what’s something you’ve learned from an immigrant or newcomer?
Share your thoughts in the comments✍️

Let’s celebrate the exchange that keeps Canada moving forward.

P.S. the link to the article is in the comments 🔗

A layoff shut one door.

Yauhan Mehta has opened many for others.

This is the first post in a Monday Gratitude series. I’m starting with Yauhan.

Yauhan was one of my first guests on my podcast, Intercultural Insiders. 

He spoke plainly about arriving in Canada and the real work of adapting: noticing unspoken norms, asking clear questions, staying patient.

That conversation shaped how I think about support for international talent.

Later, after a layoff, Yauhan chose a path centred on service. 

Speaking and coaching, he helps people find their footing, develop their careers, and step into full-time roles.

When leaders make space for stories like his, teams align faster because meaning gets clarified, not assumed.

I’m honoured to know Yauhan, and grateful for how he shows up.

Try this today: thank one person who helped you understand a workplace norm you didn’t see at first.

Whose guidance helped you turn a setback into momentum? Share it here in the comments.✍️

By the way, Yauhan is currently offering a 2-Week Job Search Accelerator with fellow amazing coach Luki Danukarjanto. There’s a link to his post about it in the comments👇

Great ideas die when voices go quiet.

Make speaking up feel safe from day one.

Research keeps telling us the same story: innovation grows when different brains bring different ideas to the table.

That only happens when people feel safe to contribute and when belonging is more than a poster on the wall.

In Canadian teams, newcomers can often hold back. They’re talented, but unsure about “how we do things here.” 

If the cost of a misstep feels high, people take fewer chances. Fewer chances means fewer new ideas.

Build safety into onboarding so your team knows exactly how to share ideas from day one:

•	Name the channels. Standups, Slack threads, office hours, 1:1s. Say where ideas live and when they’re welcome.

•	Coach the “how.” Speak in plain language, leave thinking time, invite questions, and model respectful disagreement.

•	Reward the behaviour. Thank dissent, credit contributors, and follow through on suggestions so people see their input matters.

•	Signal inclusion early. Explain how advancement works, who decides, and how to propose a pilot.

If speaking up feels risky, innovation is impossible. When you lower the risk, you unleash the ideas your business hired people for.

What is one way your onboarding tells people their ideas are welcome?

Toronto cheered a game.

We cheered 200 voices.

While the city watched a win, our milestone felt bigger.

The Catalytic Network reached 200 members. We began as six around a restaurant table.

Last night, the room felt like home for people with ties to Japan and to Toronto.

Atsu Okuno returns to Japan for now, and the core team carries the torch.

The goal stays the same: a space where Japan-connected professionals connect, learn, and create together.

Practical takeaway: Begin your next meeting by inviting one small tradition from home, then ask what it gives the group.

What tradition would help your team feel at home?

Two rooms. One lesson.

Go first. Trust follows.

Last night at Fuckup Nights Toronto  founders stood up and told the truth about what didn’t work. The room relaxed. People leaned in.

This morning at CreativeMornings/Toronto, my friend Rina Rovinelli from Speaker Slam  talked about the strength in being soft. Her message landed. Vulnerability invites curiosity.

For many who grew up where saving face matters, public mistakes feel dangerous. 

When a leader goes first, people from any culture speak sooner and problems surface while they’re still small. 

I see it on Canadian teams: a newcomer stays quiet, unsure how direct to be. A simple check-in from the manager opens the door. Ideas come out. Alignment comes faster.

Start your next team huddle by sharing one recent mistake and the one change it sparked, then ask a sincere check-in question.

What short honest share would help your team move this week? Share it in the comments✍️

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We said the same words.

But we didn’t mean the same thing.👇

When I taught in Japan, I had a moment that completely changed how I understood communication.

A student said “yes”but what he meant had nothing to do with comprehension.

That moment taught me one of the most important lessons of my life about listening across cultures.

Because even when we share a language, we don’t always share meaning.

Watch the short clip to hear what happened and what I learned.

Have you ever thought you understood someone, only to find out later that you didn’t?
Go ahead and share your experience in the comments.✍️

When something feels “off,” pause first.

Curiosity opens more doors than judgment.

Curiosity is a leadership habit: ask what else could be true.

When someone behaves in a way that doesn’t make sense to you, such as avoiding eye contact or not asking questions, t’s easy to assume they’re not confident or not interested. 

But what if there’s another explanation?

In some cultures, direct eye contact or questioning someone in authority can be seen as disrespectful. 

In others, it’s a sign of engagement.

Knowing these differences helps, but knowledge alone isn’t enough.

The real skill is to stay curious. Ask, “What else could be true?” 

Notice without judgment. Combine curiosity with cultural awareness, and you don’t just avoid misunderstandings, you build trust and unlock potential in your team.

What’s a time when curiosity helped you see a situation differently? Go ahead and share it in the comments✍️

There’s a quiet code in many Canadian workplaces.

It shapes hiring, feedback, and meetings. 👇

Naming it helps leaders keep international talent engaged and aligned.

Where have you seen an unspoken norm change a result, for better or worse?
Share it here in the comments!✍️

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