Standing tall didn’t come easily for Tall Poppies Founder Kim Lancer.
As a young girl, she was singled out and teased for her curly hair.
Today, she celebrates that same uniqueness and inspires others to embrace their own.
“I remember Mum telling me that my hair looked like Nicole Kidman’s, which would make me feel better,’’ she said.
“I definitely had my struggles during my school years, but later on in life, you realise that your differences become a beautiful part of who you are.”
After finishing Year 12, Kim leaped into the unknown, becoming a foreign exchange student in the Netherlands – an experience that opened her eyes to the world and planted seeds for a life of adventure, growth, and self-discovery.
Over the past 25 years, Kim has evolved into a sought-after leadership coach, helping thousands of executives from ASX and Fortune 100 companies across London, New York, and Perth lead with purpose, confidence, and authenticity.
We sat down with Kim to learn about her remarkable journey and what it means to be a confident leader in today’s world.
What led you to become a Leadership Development & Executive Coach?
Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to work across three continents, which has given me a greater appreciation of different cultures and the unique influence they can have on you.
In Australia, we live in a culture that favours Tall Poppy Syndrome, which is a social phenomenon where people who achieve success or stand out are ostracised or rejected. Whereas when I was in New York, we were encouraged to stand out.
From my experience, Tall Poppy Syndrome disables us from getting what we want and discourages us from celebrating our progress and success.
Confidence is the basis of everything in business, no matter the industry.
At the end of the day, your success stems from your self-belief and confidence in yourself.
When we’re not confident, it can be challenging to access and harness our skills.
Ultimately, this led me to start Tall Poppies while in New York.
What was one of the biggest lessons you learnt at Curtin that you apply today?
The importance of being open-minded and experimenting.
By experimenting, I mean stepping into whatever is interesting to me, like pursuing a communications degree.
Being open to the world around you can be hard, particularly if you are constantly surrounded by others who think similarly. It takes true discomfort and courage to step out and embrace the world around you.
How does one identify their superhero strengths?
You can build confidence by going back to who you are and truly know yourself.
Your belief in yourself allows you to unlock your superhero strengths, but it’s important to be intentional in driving and energising this mindset.
Many of us aren’t naturally confident; to find this, we must experience life, go through some discomfort, and then come out the other side.
Taking time to understand what drives you will help. Often, we want a quick fix for confidence, but that’s not always possible.
One way to ignite your confidence is to catch your negative thoughts before they spiral, because they will just drain your energy.
A technique we use with leaders is to name your inner critic and make it more visible, so that you can normalise what’s happening and make it easier for you to catch these negative intrusive thoughts as they arise.
Next, get curious when you become triggered into having these negative thought spirals. For example, if you were criticised for public speaking in the past, a similar experience today may remind you, either consciously or subconsciously, of this previous experience.
Finally, ask yourself, what evidence do I have to counter that negative thought, and then use this positive evidence to offset that negative thought.
Were there any role models who shaped the leader you are today?
My mum.
I don’t think I truly appreciated my Mum’s guidance as a child.
It was only when I grew older that I started to really understand her impact on my life.
The stories she told me when I was young encouraged me not to follow what everyone else was doing.
She wasn’t scared to be the parent who spoke up at school and always followed her heart and instinct. By walking her own path, she allowed me to do that.
I’m also inspired by Oprah Winfrey, as she represents someone who isn’t looking for validation from everyone. She speaks her truth with such conviction, which I really admire.
Finally, any advice for young graduates aspiring to become future leaders?
Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.
This comes down to learning how to navigate yourself and actively working on celebrating your wins because that is a way of channelling and understanding your progress.
In a society that is always pushing for more, take the time to be intentional with how you manage your time.
And don’t be afraid to reach out for support or to your community – I couldn’t balance my life, family, and career without my husband.
Kim Lancer, Founder of Tall Poppies Leadership
Graduating from Curtin with a Bachelor of Arts, Mass Communications (2000), Kim has 25 years of experience working with leaders in Fortune 100 companies across London, New York, and Perth, including Goldman Sachs, Mastercard, and Deloitte, to name a few. As the Founder of Tall Poppies Leadership, Kim is a sought-after Global Leadership Development and Executive Coach dedicated to empowering people to stand tall and embrace their unique talents.
