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Quote by James Comey

“The more stressful the job, the more intentional I've always been about helping my team members find joy in our work. Laughter is the outward manifestation of joy, so I believe if I'm doing it right, and helping people connect to the meaning and joy in their work, there will be laughter in the workplace. Laughter is also a good indication that people aren't taking themselves too seriously.”

Book:A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership

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A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership

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Author

James Comey

James Comey is a former FBI Director from the United States, known for his extensive experience in politics and law. He has held multiple significant positions within the U.S. judicial system. more

“I laid out my five expectations that first day [as FBI Director] and many times thereafter: I expected [FBI employees] would find joy in their work. They were part of an organization devoted to doing good, protecting the weak, rescuing the taken, and catching criminals. That was work with moral content. Doing it should be a source of great joy. I expected they would treat all people with respect and dignity, without regard to position or station in life. I expected they would protect the institution's reservoir of trust and credibility that makes possible all their work. I expected they would work hard, because they owe that to the taxpayer. I expected they would fight for balance in their lives. I emphasized that last one because I worried many people in the FBI worked too hard, driven by the mission, and absorbed too much stress from what they saw. I talked about what I had learned from a year of watching [a previous mentor]. I expected them to fight to keep a life, to fight for the balance of other interests, other activities, other people, outside of work. I explained that judgment was essential to the sound exercise of power. Because they would have great power to do good or, if they abused that power, to do harm, I needed sound judgment, which is the ability to orbit a problem and see it well, including through the eyes of people very different from you. I told them that although I wasn't sure where it came from, I knew the ability to exercise judgment was protected by getting away from the work and refreshing yourself. That physical distance made perspective possible when they returned to work. And then I got personal. "There are people in your lives called 'loved ones' because you are supposed to love them." In our work, I warned, there is a disease called "get-back-itis." That is, you may tell yourself, "I am trying to protect a country, so I will get back to" my spouse, my kids, my parents, my siblings, my friends. "There is no getting back," I said. "In this line of work, you will learn that bad things happen to good people. You will turn to get back and they will be gone. I order you to love somebody. It's the right thing to do, and it's also good for you.”

Joy Leadership Laughter Work Ethic Work Life Balance

Book:A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership

Source: A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership

“A lot of hard work comes together to form joy”

Joy Fun Enjoy Focus Determination Quote Hardship Celebration Hardwork

Author:Vineet Raj Kapoor

“And who can say if joy or fear Are each in other's lasting debt? Does every Prey enjoy each breath because of constant threat?”

Joy Fear

Book:The Year Of The Flood

Source: The Year Of The Flood

“Would he love this place less because he needed it less? Again he looked at Three Pines, the little village lost in the valley and felt the familiar lifting of his heart. But would it lift if there was no load? Was the final fear that, in losing his fears, he would also lose his joy?”