Chop down the humility tree

Families, villages and small nations suffer from what is known in Aotearoa as the ‘tall poppy syndrome’. Generally speaking, groups of people with deep interconnections would rather no one stood out as a superior sportsperson, intellectual or entrepreneur. 

Much has been spoken and written about this over the years, and five minutes spent scanning ‘the news’ (which I gave up this year, and recommend to everyone) will confirm that we spend very little energy celebrating those brave enough to give new things a go. Caffeine, however, aims to do just that: celebrate humans sufficiently valiant to create an entirely new business out of thin air, with big dreams and an audacious vision.

But this meditation is not about why we should celebrate people or companies, but why you must do this for your product or proposition if you are to succeed in big markets.

Get comfortable with your awesomeness

For good reasons, humility is deemed a desirable trait in our society, and is mostly non-negotiable when it comes to our folk heroes or leaders. It is unimaginable that former All Black great Richie McCaw would have ever tweeted “I am the greatest of all time”. Almost no one wants to work with or for people who are boastful.

There is plenty of data out there on humility – focused on habits, such as admitting errors and having a growth mindset – and leadership and organisational performance.

Humility and confidence are not mutually exclusive, of course. Humble leaders can be confident in their strengths and abilities, but they can also recognise gaps, challenges and growth opportunities. It’s not an either/or trait.

Despite the whakataukī that ‘the kūmara does not boast of its own sweetness’, you most certainly would if you were trying to sell kūmara to everyone on the planet.

Time and again I come across founders and startups who do not wish to make claims about the distinguishing attributes of their products. They are uncomfortable with their own awesomeness. ‘The best/fastest/easiest to use/most enduring’ are the claims your product and proposition must make if you are to succeed. And, ideally, they will be true.

Of course, there are other factors that buyers consider when making a purchasing decision – like brand, what their peers use or have, and organisational reputation – but in the end they are either seeking or justifying their purchasing decision based on a specific claim.

You need to get comfortable with what you are, and what makes you special and then share the heck out of that with target customers (who do not want to spend money on ‘a slightly-better-than-average solution to your problem’.)

Think of some of the tech greats and their claims that echoed across history, resonating with audacious certainty. Apple, boldly proclaiming its devices as not just cutting-edge, but as a revolution in the way we communicate and interact. Google, asserting not only dominance in search but also in organising the world's information. Amazon, redefining convenience by becoming the 'everything store' and promising doorstep delivery that reimagines shopping. 

These industry titans didn't just chase success; they staked their claims as pioneers, shaping the very landscape they conquered.

Be convincing

Even the companies I work with, where they have encouragement and license from their investors and board, are afraid to do this. I don’t know why. And it makes me (and will make investors) want to take my investment – whether that’s time, money or energy – elsewhere. No one wants to jump into a rocketship with a team that isn’t convinced they’ll make it to space.

And if you needed more reasons to start practicing your boasting, here they are:

• Inspiring all round innovation: Unabashed pride in achievements motivates others, driving innovation and pushing boundaries forward within the entire tech industry. We all want that.
• Expanding markets: Bold claims raise awareness, attracting new users, investors and collaborators.
• Building confidence: Demonstrating industry leadership boosts investor confidence, leading to increased funding and unlocking growth opportunities.
• Attracting top talent: The best people chase the best products and ideas.
• Elevating the industry: Embracing accomplishments uplifts the tech sector's reputation in general, fostering public trust. 

If your kūmara isn’t sweeter, choose a different vegetable

It may turn out that you are not the fastest or easiest to use. Your idea may not be feasible or you may be in a very crowded market. This happens.

In which case, you should consider playing in a different field and with different rules. If you are not good at soccer or netball, make up your own sport – let’s call it ‘sprett’ – and be number one. When you invent ‘sprett’, you can be the only, fastest, first and best at it.

In tech and startups, this is often labelled ‘category creation’. Creating new categories comes with additional costs and obligations and uncertainty, but it does make it easier to make claims that lack modesty.

And if your vegetable is neither handsome nor sweet nor nutritious, go and play in someone else’s patch.