The Movie Theatre Lesson in Leadership
- Ralph Cochrane
- 7 days ago
- 1 min read
Sometimes the best leadership training happens in Row G.
Last weekend, my wife and I took our twin daughters to a movie — one sat with Mom, the other with me.
Twenty minutes in, I noticed the seat in front of us shaking. One twin was kicking her sister’s seat. Her sister turned around — not calmly — and made her feelings known.
Now we had two issues: one not considering her sister, the other not considering the rest of the theatre goers. Both were “right.” Both were wrong.
Instead of jumping in with “Stop it!” or assigning blame, we slowed it down.
Situation: “Girls, we’re in the middle of a movie…”Behavior: “…a seat’s being kicked and voices are getting louder…”Impact: “…and it’s affecting each other and everyone around us.”
Clear. Calm. No villains. And the tension dropped.
I see this play out on job sites all the time. One supervisor interrupts another. The other shuts down. The room shifts. Without clarity, it escalates. With clarity, it resolves.
That’s the power of SBI — Situation • Behavior • Impact.
It keeps feedback factual instead of emotional. It addresses behavior without attacking intent. It reinforces standards while protecting relationships. Leadership doesn’t require theatrics. It requires clarity.
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