In May, the fields bloom with poppies. They look fragile at first glance, but they are surprisingly resilient. In nature, if a poppy grows taller than the others, it is the first to catch the eye. In society, if someone grows professionally or personally, they also become visible. And it is precisely this visibility that can sometimes make others uncomfortable.
For the past several years, I have held the position of director in a company. My journey from sales manager to director took six years. When I was chosen for the role, most people congratulated me, and I was grateful for that. Of course, there are always those whose own reasons make your success hard for them to accept. No matter how much you work, learn, and strive, someone will always question your competence, sometimes even through so-called “well-meaning advice.”
Looking back on that time, I realize I didn’t let those comments bother me. I am not that type of person. I was excited, happy, and proud of myself. My mind was already focused on the future, on the business and how to improve it.
Today, in my team, I have a few exceptional people whose knowledge, skills, and personalities stand out. These are my tall poppies. And I’ve noticed something interesting: people who are also talented but haven’t fully realized it themselves, who may be swimming in their own insecurities, doubts, or complexes, are often the ones most critical of those who stand out. They simply find it hard to accept someone else’s shine.
What matters to me is that those who stand out do not lose their motivation, their joy in creating, or their courage to be themselves. I want them to keep growing without feeling they need to shrink to be accepted. And with those who have criticisms, I talk with them a lot.
I’m not a psychologist, but sometimes I feel like I could freely put a sign on my office door: “Session in progress.”
Culture is not built through declarations, but through how we respond to the growth of others.
In society, this behavior even has a name: the Tall Poppy Syndrome. It describes a situation where someone who excels is perceived negatively by others, who try to “cut them down” through criticism, advice, or minimizing their achievements. It is a phenomenon in which success is not celebrated, it is punished. The term comes from a metaphor: “Tall poppies are cut down; those who rise above the rest are removed.”
So, protect your poppies. Both the tall and the small. Don’t let the insecurities of others silence them. Because where talent hides to be accepted, mediocrity becomes the norm.
And where growth is nurtured, everyone grows.
#Leadership #ReflectiveLeadership #PersonalGrowth #ProfessionalGrowth
#TeamDevelopment #TalentManagement #HighPotential #TallPoppies
#OrganizationalCulture #StrategicThinking