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On March 12, 2024, Laila Ghambari, a former US Barista Champion and current coffee consultant, announced she had developed a course called “De-Escalation For Coffee Shops.” The training is “part of her growing series of courses and tools for coffee shop retail operations,” according to a press release.
Two versions of the class will be offered: a monthly interactive session hosted by consultant and human resources professional Eric J. Grimm (the first will take place March 21 at 3:00 PM PST) and a lecture-only download hosted by Ghambari (which will be available on the same day).
Why It Matters: The class is “designed for coffee shop baristas,
managers, and owners/operators,” and aims to “address heightened and volatile interactions in a coffee shop setting.”
De-escalation training is becoming more popular and can help quell intense situations. While there are dozens of options for people to learn de-escalation techniques, none specifically tackle the unique complexities of the coffee and service industry. “This coffee-service-specific de-escalation course interprets time-tested de-escalation education through a practical framework with the goal of making a better and safer coffee industry.”
The Full Extraction: Ghambari says the class responds to a need she’s hearing from her consulting clients. “This course is something consulting clients have requested for the past few years and it’s easy to see why,” said Ghambari. “We’re seeing more and more people in service jobs getting burnt out by difficult and sometimes dangerous interactions and not having the right tools to work through them.”
The class employs tactics and techniques based on Ghambari’s retail sector experience and Grimm’s human resources knowledge. “We know that certain tactics can make things easier,” said Ghambari, “and the ability to de-escalate difficult situations is now as essential as pulling excellent shots of espresso.”
What’s More: Both the interactive and video courses “will cover self-awareness and personal wellness in the workplace, de-escalation basics and tactics, and common scenarios that need de-escalation.” The interactive course, which you can get tickets for here, will allow participants to ask questions and share their struggles within cafe settings, while the video course is meant to serve as a tool for training and onboarding employees.
Spots are still open for the inaugural workshop: tickets are $65, but by using the code FIRST15, you can get a 15% discount. More class dates will be announced soon.
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