Tall Poppy Syndrome Is Bad for Business – And It’s Holding NZ Back

In NZ, we pride ourselves on being humble, grounded, egalitarian. But somewhere along the way, this cultural strength has manifested into a weakness: Tall Poppy Syndrome — the habit of cutting down anyone who dares to stand out.

In business, it’s toxic.

Innovators are told not to “get ahead of themselves.” Founders are mocked for ambition. Business owners who succeed too visibly are accused of arrogance or greed. The message? Keep your head down. Don’t make waves. Don’t be too successful.

It’s killing aspiration.

Startups hesitate to scale. Professionals underplay their wins. Leaders self-sabotage for the sake of staying relatable. And all the while, global competitors — bolder, louder, unapologetically ambitious — race past us. They celebrate success. We quietly resent it.

Let’s be clear: Tall Poppy Syndrome is not humility — it’s fear based and it’s ugly. 

In a country where small business makes up over 97% of all enterprises, we need our entrepreneurs to think big. We need leaders who are willing to take risks, speak up, and break moulds. But that won’t happen if we keep treating tall poppies as threats instead of trailblazers.

The irony? We celebrate Kiwi success but only after it’s been validated overseas.

Think Rocket Lab, Xero, Icebreaker. But while they were building? There was plenty of quiet skepticism.

And before you refute my claim, I’ve been in Board meetings when the tall poppy “take down” was very prevalent and nasty. 

New Zealand’s economy depends on confident leaders, not cautious consensus. If we want growth, innovation, and impact, we must start cheering when someone rises — not sharpening the scissors.

So next time a business owner shares a win, a colleague takes a bold leap, or a local brand starts to scale — don’t roll your eyes. Celebrate them. Share their story. Learn from them. Because the more tall poppies we grow, the stronger our business landscape becomes.