Joy to the World and at Work by Marc LeVine

“When you are joyful, when you say yes to life and have fun and project positivity all around you, you become a sun in the center of every constellation, and people want to be near you.”

―?Shannon L. Alder

Do you find that people tend to gravitate to you??Do most people seem to enjoy being around you? ?It is not hard to tell. ?When you sit down for lunch do others immediately join you at the lunchroom table? ?Do your co-workers often ask you to join them for burgers and beer after work? When you throw a holiday get-together do you find that most people you invited show up and stay until the end of the party??If so, what is it about you that seems to attract so many people?

Some may say you are charismatic. ?That is a general appraisal that tends to cover a greater variety of personal characteristics. ?However, there is one particular trait that ALL charismatic people have. People who are charismatic are joyful.?Joyfulness is a soft skill that can be learned just like any other.

Positivity is a pre-requisite for joyfulness.?One cannot be mad-at-the-world and joyful at the same time.?Pessimists are not joyful people because they always see the glass as half empty. They tend not to trust or even like other people. They see their entire lives as an endless series of negative events and view themselves as either victims or siege participants embroiled in a battle for loneliness and despair. Most find no humor in anything that easily stimulates laughter in people comfortable in their own skin. Too many rely on anger and isolation to reinforce their sadness and negative world views.?Only those who easily identify with them may come around. Others tend to steer clear of them considering them “downers.”

Joyous people are well-adjusted and happy people. They are not silly people as most cynics often believe they are.?Joyous people know when it is appropriate to be joyful and when seriousness is expected.?Even during tough times, joyous people respond in very positive ways. Their optimism is contagious and not only helps them make it through intense situations, but also uplifts the spirits of those experiencing the potholes with them.?Joyous people never throw or attend “pity parties.”?They prefer to harness the power of light and shine it all around them.

Employers love to have joyous people around the office. These are the people who often get those fantastic performance reviews that say “…. Is a joy to have around because he/she makes everyone around him/her better.”?

If you are a fan of professional football, you may have been following the story of New York Jets starting quarterback Mike White. ?When the current season got underway, White was a third string quarterback paying behind marquis starter Zack Wilson and Super Bowl QB, Joe Flaco.?In his second year with the Jets, Wilson was injured in the preseason and returned to the field weeks later BOTH short on talent and devoid of the level of inspiration expected from a winner.?As a result, the Jets were barely winning (games) and losing more in lackluster fashion. Are you an automation engineer looking for a job?Visit:?www.thermosystems.com/careers

After a recent loss, Wilson failed to take responsibility for failing to get the job done and his head coach immediately realized his star QB, had much more to learn about leadership.?Wilson was benched and Mike White was given an opportunity to start. ?He was magnificent in his first start of the year - though against a mediocre team. But his teammates immediately FELT the difference between “can do” White and “not my problem” Wilson.

Almost every player on the Jets endorsed White as their leader and they nearly beat a top tier team the following week. They tried their “darndest” to win in support of their preferred starter, Mike White.?He uplifted them and made them feel like winners because of his positivity and joyfulness. You can even hear it in his voice when he is interviewed.

To be joyful all one must do is embrace positivity and see the value in others. We must become better at making those around us feel good about themselves and see us as unselfish people who have nothing bad to say about anyone and who are always there when others need a friend and a good laugh. ?

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The Author

Listen to Marc's latest interview on The AutomationBlog Podcast with Shawn Tierney.

Marc LeVine?is a graduate of Syracuse (NY) University with a degree in Industrial Psychology, Marc is currently Talent Acquisitions and Learning and Development Lead at Thermo Systems. He is the recipient of the Excellence in Talent Acquisitions Award from HR Awards in 2021. His prior employment includes senior Human Resources and Staffing Industry management roles with Edgewood Properties in Piscataway, NJ, Brickforce Staffing in Edison, NJ, InfoPro Inc. in Woodbridge NJ and Plainsboro, NJ and Harvard Industries in Farmingdale, NJ, a former Fortune 500 company. He also served as Director of Human Resources for New Jersey Press, the parent company of the Asbury Park Press, Home News and Tribune and WKXW-NJ101.5. Earlier in his career, Marc served as Director of Career Services and Placement at Union Technical Institute in Eatontown and Neptune, NJ. In addition, Marc owned and operated Integrity Consulting Associates, a New Jersey based Human Resources and Social Media Marketing firm for 11 years. Marc also served as Council President in his hometown of Freehold Borough, NJ