Duke Colleagues Who Make Workdays Brighter

"Negative is like Velcro. It just sticks really easily," Tunno said. “It takes good, thoughtful intention to stop and appreciate those small, joy-filled moments.”

And positivity in the workplace leads to improved job satisfaction, relationships and performance.

That doesn't mean forcing a smile through difficult moments, Tunno said. Toxic positivity, the kind that ignores struggle, doesn't land well and can feel dismissive. Genuine workplace positivity is about "holding both" – acknowledging what's difficult while intentionally making room for joy.

That outlook builds trust over time, and trust is what lets teams take risks, admit mistakes and grow together.

Across Duke, some colleagues seem to do that instinctively. They notice when someone needs a boost, remember the small stuff and bring encouragement every day. Working@Duke asked staff and faculty to tell us about their “workplace rays of sunshine.” Here are some of the people who make that difference regularly.

Joie Foust – The ‘Joy’ in the Dean of Students

In the Dean of Students office, Joie Foust has spent 20 years living up to her name — "Joie," French for joy.

"It is my mission each day to shed a little light on everyone I encounter, whether through my smile, my signature 'hey hey' greeting, or simply assisting where needed," Foust said.

Elinor Landess, Assistant Dean of Students, sees the result up close.

"She always has a bright, sunny smile, no matter what's going on," Landess said. "Joie has that unique gift of making whomever she's talking to feel like you're exactly the person she wants to be with."

Jennifer Rogers – Keeping a Bright Outlook

In Duke Cancer Center Radiology, Jennifer Rogers is often the one grabbing an extra blanket for a patient who's cold or walking alongside someone who came to their appointment alone. She treats "every single individual with the utmost kindness," wrote colleague Ashley Chambers, a Radiologic Technologist.

Rogers says the outlook is a choice, not an accident. Health care tests people and it’s important to acknowledge the little things to be grateful for each day.

“I try to make a conscious effort to be present at work and keep a bright outlook, even when things get hard,” Rogers said.  

Being recognized for it, she said, feels like being “seen and heard.”

Michael Croal – Bringing the Cheer Without Forcing it

At The Graduate School, Assistant Director of Programs Michael Croal is known for showing up the same way every day: With a smile and an upbeat attitude.

"Michael consistently brings positivity, kindness, and a genuine spirit of service to our workplace," said colleague Diamond Riley, an Administrative Assistant. "His positive attitude is contagious, and he exemplifies the Duke values of collaboration, respect and community."

Hearing that meant a lot to Croal, who said he doesn’t force the cheer.

“For me, it’s about being approachable, helping when I can and making sure people do not feel like they are bothering me when they have a question or need something,” Croal said.

Humor and kindness are the bedrock of his approach to each day because “you can take the work seriously without taking yourself seriously all the time.”

And he credits his colleagues just as much: "I am also lucky to work with a Graduate School team that gives that same energy back."

Shekita Hagans – A Natural Cheerfulness

At Duke Primary Care Leesville, Shekita Hagans is the co-worker Stemma Miller says keeps the office “always upbeat and very personable.”

"If all of us had her personality," wrote Miller a Clinical Nurse, "we would not want the day to end."

Hagans says the good mood is a habit.

“Being cheerful is something that comes naturally to me, but it is also a conscious choice," she said. It’s one she makes by remembering that "everyone may be carrying challenges that I know nothing about."

A smile costs her nothing, she figures, and it might be exactly what someone needed that day.

Brandi Cox – Encouraging and Supporting in Greensboro

In the Greensboro clinic at Duke Children's Specialty Services, colleagues describe Clinical Nurse Brandi Cox as someone who notices people.

“She is always the first one to say ‘hello’ and ask how you are,” said Brooklyn Orman, a Cardiac Sonographer. “Duke Children's in Greensboro would not be the clinic we are without her.”

Cox says she tries to carry that same intention into every interaction, especially with the families the clinic serves.

“While every day may not be sunshine and rainbows, we can encourage and support each other to show how much we truly do care,” she said.

Adair Humphrey – A Conscious Decision to Be Kind

In Duke North Cardiac Labs, Adair Humphrey is the colleague people describe in superlatives.

“Adair Humphrey is an amazing person,” said Chad Ragains, a CRNA Manager who has worked alongside her for more than two decades. “Whether you're her co-worker or patient, your day will be better because of Adair.”

Humphrey, a Cardiovascular Intervention Specialist, says her outlook comes from something deeper than the workday.

“I enjoy making a conscious decision to be kind,” she said. “It is not optional.”

Angelique Butler –  A Purposeful Decision

At Duke Raleigh Surgery Center, Angelique Butler is the Surgical Technologist colleague who Clinical Nurse Diana Orobio Zavala credits with getting her through training.

“Every step of the way she was kind, patient and encouraging,” Zavala said. “I could not have had a better mentor in this area.”

Butler says the encouragement wasn't accidental.

“Although I am usually cheerful in general, I made a purposeful decision to be encouraging when training Diana,” she said.

She sees it as part of something bigger than one training program.

“With the tough OR environment and its nuances, it is incredibly important to be kind, cheerful, and encouraging on a daily basis,” she said. “Diana and I are often seen brightening each other's day.”