Friday espresso: How Curiosity Connects Hearts and Cultures
Nov 14, 2025 1:01 am
Rise and Shine!
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How Curiosity Connects Hearts and Cultures
In a recent conversation with Joseph, Chief Marketing Officer at OA Organik and Founder and Partner of One Belian Seed. Both are organizations that help the Orang Asli’s in Malaysia, a community that is commonly neglected by our society.
Joseph invites us to look deeper beyond stereotypes, beyond headlines, into the world of Malaysia’s Orang Asli, the indigenous peoples who have long been the quiet guardians of our forests and traditions.
Their story isn’t just about land or policy, but about curiosity. How the willingness to listen, learn, and unlearn, can open our eyes to what leadership, community, and sustainability truly mean.
👇Catch the full episode here!
WHY Is Curiosity the Bridge to Understanding
🌱 Curiosity Leads to Empathy. When we ask questions instead of making assumptions, we begin to understand others on their terms. Joseph shared how his early curiosity about the Orang Asli wasn’t just research, it became a relationship built on trust and respect.
🪶 Every Story Deserves to Be Heard. The Orang Asli’s history has often been told about them, not by them. Curiosity helps us reclaim those voices, to see beyond labels and hear the heartbeat of a community that values connection over competition.
🔥 Change Begins with Awareness. Before we can solve problems, we need to see them clearly. Curiosity turns awareness into action, the kind that honors dignity, not pity.
WHAT We Can Learn from the Orang Asli
💫 Living in Balance. For generations, the Orang Asli have lived by principles of sustainability, taking only what they need, preserving forests and water sources with care. Their practices remind us that true progress never comes at the planet’s expense.
🌈 Strength Rooted in Community. In Orang Asli culture, resilience doesn’t come from hierarchy or power, but from unity. Their way of leading reminds us that connection is the foundation of strength.
🌾 Culture as Conservation. Every ritual, story, and tradition holds ecological wisdom. Protecting their culture also means preserving a blueprint for living harmoniously with nature.
HOW We Can Walk the Path of Understanding
🧭 Start with Curiosity, Not Assumption. Ask before assuming. Learn before acting. As Joseph said, “Curiosity is the first step to compassion.” Begin by learning about Orang Asli communities, their challenges, but also their contributions.
🤝 Collaborate and Partner. Work with Orang Asli communities in eco-tourism, conservation, and education. Their ancestral knowledge holds solutions modern science is only beginning to rediscover.
🌏 Champion Inclusion Everywhere. Whether in organizations or communities, inclusion starts when we make space for stories that challenge our own. Bring curiosity into your conversations, your workplace, your leadership.
Sometimes, all it takes to spark change is a single, genuine question: “Can you tell me more?”
The Orang Asli reminds us that wisdom doesn’t always shout, sometimes it whispers through the trees, in the way people live, give, and protect what matters most.
If we slow down and listen with curiosity, we might just rediscover what it means to lead, not from power, but from understanding.
Because change doesn’t begin with certainty. It begins with curiosity.
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That’s the espresso, keep the momentum! ☕😌
Stay caffeinated & curious!
Koo Lily
l Founder of mq Training Coaching Consulting l
Leadership Coach l Change Facilitator l Speaker l
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