Thermostat and Thermometer
Thermostat and Thermometer
PEOPLE ARE EITHER THERMOMETERS OR THERMOSTATS. THEY WILL MERELY REFLECT THE CLIMATE AROUND THEM, OR THEY WILL SET IT. LEADERS DEVELOP VALUES AND PRINCIPLES TO LIVE BY AND SET THE TONE FOR OTHERS.
You may remember when you first figured out the difference between a thermometer and a thermostat in your home. As a kid, I began to understand it when my science teacher brought it to my attention in the fourth grade. Up until then, I just knew our home had a thermometer hanging outside of our back patio that told us what temperature it was outside. And I knew we had a little box on our living room wall that Mom and Dad would fiddle with when the house got too hot or too cold. I’ll never forget when it first dawned on me that, while both had something to do with the temperature, they were fundamentally different. The thermostat set the temperature. The thermometer only reflected what the temperature was.
This is a great picture of another leadership truth. Most people are like thermometers. They tend to reflect the culture around them. They buy things that others buy, say things that others say, wear things that others wear and value things that others value. Oh, there are slight variations. But most people don’t set the “climate” for the world they live in. They just mirror back that climate.
Leaders, on the other hand, are people who decide to take life to the next level. They become thermostats, and set the social climate in which they are placed. For instance, you may know people who set the emotional temperature of a group. They are excited about life and their work. You may know some who determine the attitudes of others by their presence in the room. They’re pacesetters. They influence, rather than merely get influenced by people.
So, how do we do this? Leaders who are “thermostats” have developed values and principles they live by. They are authentic. The word “authentic” comes from the root word “to author.” It means to write your own story, not copy someone else’s. When someone owns a set of values, it’s like they have a moral compass on the inside that guides them in their decisions. Nelson Mandela, former leader of South Africa; Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A restaurants; and Mother Teresa are respected not because they are flashy speakers. It’s because they’re known as leaders who live by values and won’t drift from them. The respect millions have for Bono, lead singer of U2, goes beyond his vocal ability. People respect others who are values-driven and principle-centered. In fact, the leaders above are all like healthy “thermostats.”
They have two common traits:
1. They live by values (They possess a moral compass)
2. They add value (Their actions serve and help others)
All the leaders I genuinely respect, I respect not because of their title or position. It’s because of the life they live. They live by a higher standard, and they are constantly doing things for other people, not themselves.
When leaders fail to develop values, tragedy almost always follows. Athletes who claim to be role models, but who we later learn used illegal drugs or committed crimes, lose their credibility.
Regrettably, many leaders influence others, but don’t have a compass that influences them.
These leaders may show up on the news, but when we discover the self-absorbed lifestyle they have or the lack of values in their life, they tend to lose our respect. It’s all about them. They may have talent but we wouldn’t want to actually “follow” them.
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Most people today act by default. One sociologist estimated that 70% of Americans do no thinking on their own. How about you? Do you have a set of core values? If not, why not begin a list of your values below.
Let me give you some guidelines, before you begin to write:
-Values can be defined with simple words that describe what you deeply believe.
-Values are words that describe what you live by or what you want to live by.
-Values are beliefs that define who you are and are guidelines for your big decisions.
-Values are stronger than thoughts or opinions. They are ideals of you at your best.
-Values are the inner-based principles that will fuel the direction of your life.
My challenge to you is to move from being a thermometer to a thermostat.