Thermostat or Thermometer?

I read an interesting article recently about how we can be thermostats or thermometers in group settings.

The idea is this: in teams, meetings, and communities, our actions can influence the “temperature” of the room. I’ve certainly experienced this.

A thermometer reacts to its environment, rising and falling with whatever is happening around it. A thermostat, on the other hand, sets the temperature. It creates a steady, intentional atmosphere that others may choose to align with.

I believe we can only ever truly change our own behaviour—but in doing so, we can influence others. Influence and control are very different things.

That said, constantly being a thermostat can be exhausting. And it assumes your temperature is the right one. Sometimes, it might be better to observe for a while and adapt. After all, setting the temperature isn’t just for leaders—anyone in a group can do it, consciously or not.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, as I’m still forming my own.