Karen Ellis | Tall Poppy Theory
When excellence makes you
a TARGET
Research-backed guidance for high-performing
women navigating workplace bullying,
harassment, targeting, and retaliation.
Â
START WTIH THE FREE ASSESSMENTWhat the research shows
In a two-year study of 76 women across 6 countries, the single strongest predictor of outcome was not which strategy a woman chose. It was how visible her response was before she understood her situation fully.
- 47% of women who responded visibly were involuntarily terminated within 12 months.
- Only 6% of women who responded covertly were terminated.
Â
What you do next will either
protect your options or narrow them
Â
Your next actions are not about solving the problem. They are about protecting what is still in your control before the situation narrows your options.
The Stabilization Protocol is the research-informed first step for women who believe they are being targeted at work.
- Understand how serious your situation is
- Identify what is already visible and what is not
- Protect critical records, relationships, and options
- Avoid the early actions that most often make things worse
Three lessons. One working document. Completed in a single sitting.
Â
Research accepted for presentation at the International Association on
Workplace Bullying and Harassment conference, Canberra, Australia, 2026.
Â
Get the Stabilization Protocol - $47