Hashem Gives Grace and Honor:

The Shotzer Rebbe (of London) zy"a (Sefer Ohr Ganuz) explains in a lighthearted way that many people who experience success are treated with respect by the masses and their opinions are taken very seriously, even though they actually are not that smart. Thus, the pasuk is saying that the man whom Hashem chooses to have success may be "like a staff", in the sense that he has little intelligence, but he still will "blossom" in people's eyes and will be treated like a genius.