A thermometer is controlled by the circumstances and the environment around it. When things in the environment change the thermometer will react by either rising or falling.
A thermometer is used to measure what is wrong. It is like the miner’s canary. They used to keep a caged canary down in the mine shaft and would watch to see how it reacted to the environment. If the canary died, the miners would know to get out of there because the gas levels had reached a point of toxicity.
Unfortunately, many organizations are full of thermometers today. They are quick to point out and criticized when something is wrong. They will whine and complain about everything that needs to be changed, but will never put forth the effort to change things.
A thermostat, on the other hand, is different. It changes things. Unlike the thermometer, the thermostat has the power to, and will change its surroundings. It synchronizes the environment that it is in. It doesn’t point out what is wrong. It corrects what is wrong. It is an instrument that is well connected to the power source that can bring about the needed change.
Thermometer or thermostat, one tells and one does. One is all talk and one takes positive action.
Which one will you be today?
Will you step up and be a positive influence on your surroundings, or will you simply point out how bad things are?
Here’s to a great Monday and rest of the week.