Today more than ever we need heroes, but what does it mean to be a hero in the workplace?

Workplace heroes are influencers and they’re not afraid to share with or listen to others because they assume positive intent. Today’s heroes don’t just seek success for themselves, they want success for the organization and those around them, it’s how a successful hero culture is cultivated within an organization.

It used to be that a company had a central figure that filled the hero role, but with so many issues facing the world today, workplaces can’t rely on a single person to fill that role anymore.

Being a hero is not about having the loudest voice in meetings; we can see past inauthentic or false heroes, and while it may not be immediately obvious, substance and actions always rises over words.

Think how often you’ve had a great idea but not said anything about it?

This hesitation is common in many who don’t consider themselves a hero. It can take courage to communicate your idea but it’s worth considering how many different methods there are to reach out, communicate with those around you and cultivate your idea.

One great example of cultivating great ideas and a hero environment are “all hands” meetings. Very common in the tech industry, an all hands is a town hall type gathering where management and team members get together to talk openly about the state of the business, what’s next and gather feedback. The entire team is encouraged to talk openly and share ideas. Fast paced, invigorating, challenging and empowering, all hands sessions can be a great example of just how many heroes there are around you, and they can inspire and help you cultivate your ideas further.

Not all of us were born to be great heroes or leaders, but to be a hero you don’t need to deliver on the organizations next 5-year strategic plan, it can be as simple as being engaged with your role in the workplace, arriving with a positive outlook or having a customer first attitude, so many times it’s the small actions that you can do that will make you a hero in your workplace.

So, while you may not dream to run the organization, if you have something that you think will benefit the organization and those around you, don’t keep it hidden away, share it.

Remember, the world always needs heroes, you can be that hero.