VLOG – CONVERSATIONS THAT MATTER

The crucial force behind Don Beck for ending Apartheid peacefully: Loraine Laubscher

Loraine YT

HEIDI WRITES

Who of the Spiral Dynamics or Integral communities knows about Loraine Laubscher? I guess nobody, and that’s why I wanted to give her a space in the Wisdom Factory. She was crucial for the success which Don Beck had in South Africa when Apartheid came to an end, without bloodshed. She intimately knew the people and was able to communicate with them naturally while Don Beck brought in the theory which she considered an excellent tool to understand and deal with the problems.

We women define ourselves often with the role of the helper, the supporter, while the men get away with the medals and public recognition. We are entering in the era of women, Loraine says at the end of our conversation, and I do hope that we can contribute to the resolution of the problems in the world with our own feminine ways, which in comparison are less driven by the ego and more motivated by the genuine desire to care and find viable solutions by, first of all, create relationships and learn to understand each other.

Loraine is a remarkable woman. Besides her traditional role as housewife and mother, she went out to people in need and taught them important skills. She was well received in surroundings where hardly anyone would dare to go. This ability was crucial for the mission of Don Beck to talk with all the different people and parties in South Africa which they approached together to find solutions by communication instead of violence. It worked.

At the age of 83, Loraine received her Phd. She had collected all her experience with people of different value memes, especially beige and purple, up to red and blue – the main levels present in South Africa – and developed them into a dissertation, a book which explains by lived experience the levels of development. Now, with 89, she is an inspiration for all of us in how to get older and have a purpose in life, a motivation for the personal life and for supporting others and the world with what we can bring to the table. A heroine for CONSCIOUS AGEING!

0:00 Heidi Introduces Loraine

1:25 Loraine. She uses Clare Graves model the double helix of Value Systems, or as it is officially called, the Cyclical Double-Helix Model of Bio-Pscyho-Social Adult Human Behaviour

2:50 Xenophobia all over the world: a movement back to tribal/ purple: “go back to where we were before”. The ways of purple: we are good – everyone else is not good.

3:10 How Loraine met Don: she was in SA value circles, an example of Japan as difference, as in SA was very little schooling. 

6:53 thinking outside the box is needed for change. She worked with people. Help them to identify their needs. A story. tribal; the ones in charge can do what they like. Like with Trump. 

11:14 Heidi reminds of the conversation with Heather McDowell on Purple in America. Loraine: we are going back to tribal, but it will look differently. 

12:20 Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa, 

13:00 Graves worked with indigenous people, his thinking came out of beige and purple, until blue. Range the value systems in high and low.

14:05 High purple: Patrice Motsepe, looks after his people. High red: people take visible risks, Low red: would break the window the car. High blue: are religious people,  low blue: Nazis. Orange: calculated risks, not money per say. Burning of the forest is just red.

17:25 Value engineering: example Japan. Loraine uses value engineering together with the value systems.

18:50 The story of Don Beck’s arrival in SA in the 60ie’s. She showed him around, also in the townships, he spoke to De Klerk and 3 others cabinets were open to Don. Don went to every political leader of every party, he travelled through then whole country

23:25 Heidi quotes Rica: “Loraine taught Don Beck from her experience to live in this country.

24:10 Loraine tells a story of a visit in Soweto. The chicken curry behind closed barriers. Next morning after 10 you can get out again.

27:05 reversal of the apartheid system: Loraine was seen as the maid, inside the barrier she would have been arrested

27:48 Heidi talks about Johann who had told his experience in his youth in SA.

28:40 If you understand the value systems, you can travel all over the world.

29:35 Heidi: How did you manage? Every value system has its own body languages, as well as faces, the movement of muscles under the skin.  You go by facial expressions. You can also see were people come from. 

32:00 She was not afraid, examples. Her African name is Puseletso

. “The one who comes after the trouble”

34:00 Loraine spent her life trying to make a difference. An example of a man called the devil, despite she went and transferred knowledge to the people.  When Mandela became president: her daughter’s insight of to why she had behaved during their childhood.

37:32 Heidi: How do you see the future? Loraine has hope in Cyril Ramaphosa who she knows for many years. He is fighting 3 battles at the same time EFF, Malema, Jacob Zuma followers attacking him. He is a Venda, comes from Northern Limpopo, very educated. The FF Plus is increasing its members

40:25 “Oserva Brandwach” atter WWII, clashed with the other OB. 

42:00 How did you succeed with Dr Don to do the transition? He had many people to support him. He gave presentations to business and  organisations, Government departments. there were also other voices that wanted him out of the country.

44:30 11 different languages, different tribal associations. Also eastern languages, Hindu, Chinese, Islam people who worked in the mines, + shop keepers. Also British and jewish, a synagogue in Cape town, bulldozed over. You cannot take away what is in the head. 

47:15 Loraine knew many languages, less need of translaters who would translate back their own thoughts. A strategy like the horns of the Zulu cattle is needed. 

48:45 About other collaborators, Chris Cohen, the conflicts, also with Wilber (his good stuff doesn’t fit everywhere, doesn’t understand the value system).

50:25 The guys with their big Ego. Now it is the century of the woman! “You strike a woman, you strike a rock”, it will break your weapon, certain rocks will give out water.

51:10 How is the situation of women in SA? Still very male dominated, despite equal amount in Parliament. Women involved all over, but not in the same way as in America or like the German president. The woman is the back bone of society.

53:10 Heidi’s impression of the vitality and presence of the black women she met.

Loraine: once you understand who you are, you are who you are. An example. The bringing up of girls is important. 

55:20 Patricia in the background doesn’t agree with Loraine. Heidi invites her into the conversation.  It depends on the culture Saying NO to a man you are considered disrespectful. Patricia is never disrespectful.  Loraine steps up for misconduct of a man in a shop.

58:00 Heidi encourages us women to stand up and say what we don’t want and what we want! Appreciations of Patricia.

59:00 wrapping up. 

1:00:20 Loraine: keep it positively. 

About Dr. Loraine Laubscher
Loraine is one of the most experienced users of Spiral Dynamics globally. She is renowned for her ability to apply Spiral Dynamics practically and with lasting results.

Her easy and accessible communication style enable her to share sound and practical problem-solving-, thinking- and conflict resolution skills with employees at all levels in the organisation.

Her research interests include effective work place forums, diversity management, personnel and organisational change.

Loraine has presented papers at conferences in North and South America as well as South Africa.

She also has extensive marketing experience.

Loraine Laubscher was born in Johannesburg and for many years lived in the mining communities of Rustenburg, Brakpan and Virginia.

Her working career incorporated sales manager positions at Elna Sewing Machines and Thomas French & Sons, working in the corporate strategy department of Hunt Leuchars & Hepburn and bi-annually co-ordinating and marketing the Video, Hi-Fi, & Photo Fair in Johannesburg, Bloemfontein and Cape Town over a period of 15 years.

As a consultant, Loraine has a background in physical skills training, thinking skills training, problem solving skills training, marketing information research, sales training with specialisation in exhibition selling, tele-prospecting, sales management of both wholesale and retail organisations, as well as the management of changing  people’s outlook and identifying organisation structures that will work. She has delivered papers at conferences in the United States of America and Brazil on Value Circles as an accelerated learning method and Value Circles on the South African psychological map.

She consults in the field of human development.  One of her main areas of expertise is that of integrating first and third world cultures in the global workplace.  Her easy and accessible communication style enables her to share sound and practical problem solving, thinking and conflict resolution skills with employees at all levels of the organisation.

The diversity of solutions that she has provided is clearly indicated in the types of companies for whom she has consulted. A selection of the companies includes:

Infoplan, Littleton Engineering, Litemaster, Successful Salesmanship, Western Deep Levels Gold Mine, Westrand Consolidated Gold Mine, Eskom, Elandsrand Gold Mine, Buffelsfontein Gold Mine, Unisel Gold Mine, Vaal Reefs – East/West/South – Gold Mines, Free State Geduldt Limited, Freegold Limited, Joel Gold Mine, Amplats – Rustenburg/ Union/Lebowa, Welkom Mines Limited, Western Holdings Gold Mine, President Steyn Gold Mine, Saaiplaas Gold Mine, ABSA Bank – World Growth Consulting, Kwazulu Training Trust, WADELA Township Establishment, Mmabatho High School, Angloplatinum Mines – Human Resources and Business Area Managers, Angloplatinum Development Centre, Iscor LSP, Eskom – Generation Human Resources Managers.

Articles and Letters of Appreciation, Recognition and Awards

(Copies are available on request)

  • Value Circles: Application in Litemaster – Developing People and Skills – January 1983
  • Lance Saldman: Managing Director, Eagle Tactix – 15 April 1991
  • Wynand Malan: Consultant – 15 April 1992
  • Allen Stern: Managing Director, Allens Sound Centre – 24 June 1997
  • Bioss Newsletter: Unsung Heroes – September 1999
  • “Applicability of Value Circles in Participative Management” – IJ Heyns: Chief Training Officer, President Steyn Mine, 1995
  • MA Campbell: Technical Director, Alpinist Safety Consultants (Pty) Ltd – 30 January 2001
  • Announcement and Citation of the First International Recipient of the “Clare Graves Integral Award” – Presented in Dallas Texas – May 2000

Authorisation and Certification

  • The National Values Centre – profile and competencies
  • Authorisation for use of NVC materials by National Values Centre, Dallas, Texas, USA – 30 September 1983
  • Authorisation for registration of NVC materials by National Values Centre, Dallas, Texas, USA – 30 September 1983
  • Trade Mark Registration Certificates:
  • The Psycological Map – 06 January 1984
  • National Values Centre – 06 January 1984
  • Registration as a Certified Value Engineer (SA) – 10 October 1999

Conference Papers and Publications

  • “Developing the Potential of Uneducated Peoples Through the Values Discipline” – International Conference of Accelerative Learning, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – January 1983
  • “Integrating the Expectations of Management and Workers” – Institute of Personnel Management 31st Annual Convention, Sun City , Bophutatswana – September 1987
  • “Integrating First and Third World Cultures in the Global Workplace” – Co-Presentation with Dr Don Beck, American Society of Training and Development National Conference, Dallas, Texas – May 1988
  • “Value Circles: A Method for Tackling the Skills Crisis” – Institute of Personnel Management, 32nd Annual Convention, Johannesburg – June 1988
  • “In Their Own Value Systems …. Reaching Minds In The Global Mesh”- Co-Presentation with Dr Don Beck and Christopher Cooke, American Society of Training and Development Conference 2000, Dallas, Texas – May 2000
  • “Large Scale Change” Interactive presentation with Dr Don Beck, at The Nature of Change 2003: Fourth Annual Spiral Dynamics Confab, Dallas Texas – May 2003.
  • “South Africa -10 Years on: Perceptions and Realities of Change” – interactive telephonic presentation and discussion:  Fifth Annual Spiral Dynamics Confab, Dallas Texas – May 2004.
loraine_laubscher

RESOURCES