The Unsung Rite of Passage

The Unsung Rite of Passage

The traditional characteristics that professional employees should possess, such as being positive, dependable, etc., we hear often; while acknowledging their value, I submit that there are less commonly discussed characteristics that every professional employee should develop. Those characteristics are competitiveness and humor.

First, we’re raised to believe that the winners receive recognition and reward whereas the losers get nothing. Everyone has a chance to be a winner, but it’s only those who dare chase it that have a real chance of winning. Being competitive is an important characteristic in a professional employees because those are the ones who, despite the odds or circumstances, fight to outperform their coworkers on a daily basis. "Production is increased where there is competition. As the employees compete, they also increase production in their quest to outdo one another...” (Chingombe, 2012).

Second, humor is especially important in the workplace. If you are seen as cold and distant, and you never smile, odds are that people won’t want to associate with you; they won’t approach you with questions, and they definitely won’t want to work with you. For a work environment to be successful, people need to feel comfortable interacting with each other, and humor can accomplish that very thing. Messmer, who conducted the survey wrote, “Levity by those at the top can make the office less stressful and even more fun, which can help improve productivity, morale and retention"(Carreon, 2012).

In conclusion, I firmly believe that people who are actively seeking to outperform their co-workers and provide humor to laugh off the problems and frustrations endemic to everyday work not only become successful people but embody the characteristics for which all employees should strive.

References

Carreon, B. (2012, January 31). Survey say humor is important in the workplace. Deseret News. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705398409/Survey-says-humor-is-important-in-the-workplace.html?pg=all&ref=http://www.deseretnews

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Chingombe, M. (2012, March 23). The advantages and disadvantages of a competitive workplace.

  Retrieved October 1, 2014, from http://www.insidebusiness360.com/index.php/the-

  advantages-and -disadvantages-of-a-competitive-workplace-2-2344/