Tall Poppies in the Workplace: Communication Strategies Used by Envious Others in Response to Successful Women

摘要

The current study used the Tall Poppy Syndrome (TPS) as a framework for exploring how women in organizational settings interact with other women they perceive as superior to them in some way. The "tall poppy," an Australian cultural expression, refers to individuals who represent high ability or admirable qualities. According to Tall Poppy Syndrome, people who interact with tall poppies often demonstrate the tendency to attack, demean, or in some other way, bring the "tall poppy" down to the common level. To better understand the tall poppy phenomenon among women in organizations, focus group data from 40 adult, Caucasian women in the Midwest were collected and analyzed using grounded research methodology (Glaser & Straus, 1967). The study presents findings related to negative communication strategies females use in response to the tall poppy.