Rev. Celeste's guest is Lori Gibson-Washington, the calming communications coach. Lori G-Dub is a laid-back facilitator, a calming speaker and coach and a witty blogger. A former instructor for International Business Negotiations at University of California-Berkeley's International Diplomacy Program, she has over 20 years of experience consulting and coaching ire the differences in communication, in conflict resolution and leadership. Lori is a wife, daughter, the bonus mom of two and has two grandsons. Lori is a certified Transformational Life Coach through the Life Mastery Institute. Lori is also certified to administer Myers-Briggs, LIFO, and FIRO Element-B. Myers-Briggs looks at introverts and extroverts, and LIFO Element B looks at the inclusion, control and openness that we want and that we give. She's high inclusion but moderately wants to be included. The inquiry is about how you need to be in control.
GeeDub, as The Calming Coach, consults with groups to improve morale and to better understand cultural differences within teams for better productivity and profitability. She coaches individual professionals and leaders to get along with folk who disturb their calm.
She learns what motivates people. She finds out what's important to them, what triggers them and what makes their heart sing! She discusses communication style.
As a child, she was the mediator when fights broke out. One of the people she broke up became a major leader in the Crypts gang. She is the one who sees conflict or not at peace, who tries to help them.
She studied human connection and continued to learn about people and how to feel better when talking to each other. She's an extrovert, intuitive, feeling and is perceptive. She explored what happens when sensibilities are violated. As an extrovert, she gets fueled by people. Introverts get their energy from being alone. Lori uses the platinum rule: treat people the way they want to be treated. She encourages people to find the commonality.
Lori was brought up in a progressive Baptist church during the Civil Rights area, and it was important to give of yourself. She now identifies as spiritual, but not religious. Her parents taught her to treat people fairly. Since Kwanzaa in the 60's, she adopted the principle of leaving the world better than she found it. CSL resonated with her because it brings together the best of all practices and faiths. Lori calls herself a New Thought follower of Jesus. A spiritual reader told her once that she saw Jesus all around her. While serving her an egg salad sandwich, a woman told her that Jesus was in Lori's heart.
Due to demand, Lori took courses like becoming a certified transformational life coach with the Life Mastery Institute with Mary Morrissey. Lori looks at their life, income, creative expressions and health and realizes that priorities change depending on where you are in your life.
When she stopped singing, her energy shifted and she was unaware of how it affected her until someone brought it to her attention. It was just the nudge she needed to move back into her authentic self. Lori brings singing into workshops.
In 1997, Lori became one of the original members of the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir and she stayed for ten years. She became a consultant and presented calm retreats for the choir. She remains connected to the members.
Lori has done diversity work since the 90's. She helps people collaborate using the life orientations: harmony, excellence, reason and action. She also uses conflict skills.
Lori can be found on Facebook as the Calming Coach. Her website is Calmingcoach.com
Listen to Rev. Celeste's poem: Stay Calm.