Tall Poppy Syndrome: Stigmatising successful women at work

They get called “careerists,” “opportunists,” even “egomaniacs.” These are just a few of the many labels that are often applied to women who manage to ascend the career ladder in the company where they work.

Those who make a lot of money and/or have managed to build their own successful business are also targeted. Ideally, such women would be admired and congratulated for their achievements. And fortunately, many are — but unfortunately, these kinds of attitudes persist in many milieus.

Even today, the phenomenon in the workplace known as “tall poppy syndrome,” wherein female success is stigmatized, persists. The image refers to a tendency to belittle and undercut people who rise higher than others in the professional sphere, like a large poppy in a field that grows faster than those around it.

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In the human realm, these tall poppies are often cut down by gossip, backbiting or low blows.

Why women are more vulnerable

First described with this term in 1984 in the book “Tall Poppies” by the Australian writer and lecturer Susan Mitchell, the tall poppy syndrome, unfortunately, continues to thrive, mainly in the professional sphere. And to make matters worse, the gender aspect plays a large role in this syndrome.

Although men can also be subject to tall poppy syndrome, experts who have written on the subject all agree that it mostly affects women. In a work society still rife with sexist clichés, it is easier to criticize women who are seen as devoting too much time to their career, to the detriment of their family life.

Whereas, for a man, the same type of behavior seems more “acceptable” in the collective mindset.

Impact on women’s careers

The subject is further complicated by the fact that these gendered stereotypes, rooted in a tenacious patriarchal system, also get perpetuated by women themselves.

A study conducted in 2018 by Canadian researcher Rumeet Billan shows that many of those most likely to “cut down poppies” are women, in 31% of cases, more than men (27.6%). A complex and deeply rooted issue and one that has significant consequences on women’s careers.

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According to the same survey, some women explained that they have been blacklisted from promotions due to their success, that such a culture has resulted in them downplaying their successes or achievements and deciding not to apply for promotions because they are undermined in this way.

A significant number of respondents (64.7%) also said they felt a lower sense of self-worth.

Coping with Tall Poppy Syndrome – Tips and Resources

While efforts need to be made within workplaces where such attitudes exist to change the culture, in order to protect oneself from the syndrome or to liberate oneself from its harmful effects, it can be useful to read books dedicated to the question in order to better understand the mechanisms at play.

Such books include the one by Susan Mitchell or “The Tall Poppy Syndrome” by Doug Garland, who worked as a clinical professor and orthopaedic surgeon in the United States for several decades and studied the tall poppy phenomenon for over ten years.

People who suffer from this syndrome can also seek advice from a psychologist or coach who specializes in the issue.

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