There are two kinds of people in every organization, team, and family.
Thermometers.
And thermostats.
A thermometer reflects the temperature around it.
If things are negative, it becomes negative.
If people are frustrated, it becomes frustrated.
If the environment is uncertain, it becomes uncertain.
A thermostat does something different.
It sets the temperature.
Running has taught me this lesson over and over again.
I’ve run in heat, cold, wind, rain, and on days when I simply didn’t feel like running.
The conditions weren’t always ideal.
But if I waited for perfect conditions, I’d never get many miles in.
Leadership works the same way.
The best leaders I know don’t wait for the room to become positive before they become positive.
They don’t wait for confidence before they communicate confidence.
They don’t wait for someone else to take ownership.
They go first.
At work, people are watching how you respond when things don’t go according to plan.
At home, your family often takes their cues from you.
On teams, attitudes spread quickly.
So does accountability.
So does optimism.
So does calm.
The question isn’t:
“What kind of environment am I in?”
The better question is:
“What kind of environment am I creating?”
Because whether we realize it or not, we’re setting the temperature somewhere.
In our territories.
On our teams.
In our homes.
The leaders who make the biggest impact aren’t the ones who perfectly reflect the environment.
They’re the ones who improve it.
Be the thermostat.
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