Nov 12, 2025
Are you leading like a thermometer or a thermostat?
If you find yourself reacting to problems instead of setting the
tone for your team, you might be acting like a thermometer. But
with practice and the right mindset, you can become a thermostatic
leader who sets the climate for your whole team or
organization.
Learn more in this episode with guest Sheri Miller Holt, the author
of Thermostatic Leadership: The Quiet Power of Creating Balance and
Influence. Drawing on her years of experience in organizational
development and leadership training, Sheri unpacks the true meaning
of thermostatic leadership, plus shares tips manufacturing leaders
can use to balance firmness with compassion, create shared
accountability, and build stronger, more empathetic workplaces
where people want to do their best.
2:20 - Leaders must decide whether they simply react like a
thermometer or adjust and influence like a thermostat.
4:00 - Thermostatic leaders empathize, mobilize, and shift the
energy in a room toward positive outcomes
6:50 - Real organizational change begins when leaders change their
own behaviors and mindsets
8:30 - Leaders should remove barriers that prevent people from
performing at their best
10:50 - The biggest obstacle to better leadership is simplicity —
people think it has to be more complex than it really is
11:30 - Knowing your team personally builds trust and
motivation
12:40 – Sheri’s Dr. GRAK framework focuses on shared results,
resources, accountability, and agreed-upon consequences
14:20 - Both leaders and their teams should share outcomes, both
good and bad
16:30 - When people understand shared consequences, they
self-manage and become more invested in team success
22:40 – Shift your “you” statements to “I” statements to avoid
accusations and foster empathy
24:50 - Compassionate leadership doesn’t weaken accountability — it
deepens it. When people feel cared for, they perform better and
take ownership
Connect with Sheri Holt
Find her on LinkedIn
and Facebook
Buy her
book