Thermostats & Thermometers.

Almost everyone has interacted with both. At first glance, they seem to serve the same purpose. They both deal with temperature, and they both tell us something about the environment around us. But that's where the similarities end.

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A thermometer has one job: it measures the temperature. It tells you what's happening, but it has no ability to change it.

A thermostat serves a much greater purpose. It doesn't just measure the environment; it shapes it.

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Think about the difference. Looking at a thermometer might tell you to put on a sweater or swap pants for shorts, but the decision and action are entirely up to you. A thermostat, on the other hand, activates an entire system working together to achieve the temperature you've set.

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Teams function the same way. They rely on both cultural thermometers and thermostats to create the work environment they want. As leaders, our responsibility is to know when we need to take the team's temperature, and when it's time to engage the system that changes it.

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Every day, we walk into environments we didn't create. The schedule is overloaded. A customer is frustrated. A technician had a rough morning. The weather isn't cooperating. There will always be reasons for the temperature in the room to be less than ideal, and firing off a reading is rarely difficult.

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The question isn't whether you'll notice it; we all feel the temperatures of daily operations.

The question is what you'll do about it.

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It’s easy for leaders to serve as thermometers. They read the room, absorb the frustration, and inadvertently reinforce it. A negative comment here. A frustrated reaction there. Before long, those feelings and reactions become the standard. Effective leaders choose a different route, they build a team of thermostats.

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A team of “thermostats” understands that every conversation, every reaction, and every decision helps shape the environment everyone else works in.

When the leader stays composed, the team gains confidence.

When the leader brings clarity, the team finds direction.

When the leader raises the standard, the team responds to the call.

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Leadership isn't about building a team that finds comfort in an ever-changing temperature.

‍It's about deciding what the temperature will be.‍ ‍

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‍-Rick Debernardo, Service Manager, Manchester NH