Humility is often something sorely lacking in a workplace where self-promotion, both in the real sense and the social media-driven sense, means that wallflowers seldom get the praise and plaudits.  This means that some of those most deserving of praise are often the last to receive it.

New research explores the humility of heroism, and especially the distinction that often exists between how we tend to see heroism, and how heroes tend to view themselves.  Indeed, the qualities that are present in the stories we tell about heroes, such as overcoming great difficulties and exhibiting unworldly persistence against the odds, are usually present from the stories real heroes tell about themselves and their actions.

The researchers gathered stories about real-life heroes where their actions were described in their own words.  These included people who helped survivors of a burning bus, or who stopped a terrorist.

Deserved praise

Volunteers were then asked to assess whether these heroes received the amount of praise they deserved for their deeds.  Consistently, the participants believed the heroes were far more admirable and extraordinary than they were given credit for.

The researchers then turned to those of us who may do good deeds, but for which the gravity of those deeds doesn’t render them fit for publication in the press.  Do we share a similar level of humility to those who do great things?

Volunteers were asked to write about an act in which they exhibited courage or nobility for the benefit of someone else.  They then rated their accounts on a score of heroism and the burden they undertook.  These were then rated by a second group in a similar way to the public heroes accounts.

As before, these people also appeared to sell themselves short, with the external ‘adjudicators’ all rating their acts more highly than the individuals themselves did.

Costs and benefits

The researcher believes that this is largely because when we engage in selfless acts, our thoughts tend to deviate from the costs to ourselves of our deeds, and focus instead on the benefits they will bring to the other person/s.

This perspective shifts when the action is viewed by a third party however, who tend to see it in a more balanced way.  As such, they don’t diminish the burden on the hero in the same way the hero themselves does.

The findings suggest that the biggest factor in this disparate view of external heroes and our own image of heroic deeds is one of perspective.  The very act of engaging in prosocial behavior changes how we frame events, which makes us less likely to view them as heroic.

The researcher suggests that if managers wish to encourage heroism in the workplace, it may pay not to engage in elaborate public ceremonies, but rather to provide an environment where employees have an opportunity to commit acts of everyday heroism.  This culture will require high levels of emotional safety so that people can both admit to their challenges and also feel confident in offering support to others.