Leadership Lessons from the Kitchen Table
- Ralph Cochrane
- 7 days ago
- 1 min read
The leadership habit most people skip.
The other night, I walked past the kitchen and saw one of my daughters helping her sister with homework. No drama. No complaints. Just steady patience. She leaned over and said, “Let’s try it this way,” and walked her through the problem step by step.
Later that evening, when we had a quiet moment, I pulled her aside.
“Earlier tonight, while you were helping your sister with math (Situation), I noticed how calm and patient you were (Behavior). It really helped her settle down and figure it out (Impact).”
No big speech. No spotlight. Just acknowledgment. You could almost see her stand a little taller.
That’s SBI.
Most leaders think of feedback as correction. But strong cultures aren’t built on correction alone.
On job sites and in leadership meetings, I see supervisors miss these moments all the time. A foreman steps in to steady a tense exchange. An operator double-checks a procedure without being asked. A manager handles pressure calmly. And nothing gets said.
SBI isn’t just for tough conversations. It’s a tool for reinforcing what you want repeated.
When leaders consistently name the behavior that strengthens the team, confidence grows. Standards stick. Culture stabilizes. Leadership isn’t just about fixing what’s wrong. It’s about recognizing what’s right — specifically.
For a practical tool you can use immediately, download our Free PDF on SBI — Situation • Behavior • Impact. A simple, proven framework for clear, effective leadership conversations.
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