June 16, 2025
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by opportunities, yet unsure which path truly fits your ambitions, identity, and well-being? If you’re a Black woman executive ready for your next career move, now is the time to get strategic and clear. The key? Defining your non-negotiable core values…
…before you negotiate your next offer or take on a new leadership role. Here’s your step-by-step checklist for clarity, alignment, and empowered decision-making.
Why Core Values Matter for Black Women Executives
Core values are more than buzzwords. They’re the foundation of resilient, authentic, and fulfilling leadership. For Black women leaders, clearly defined values are essential guardrails against burnout, microaggressions, and workplace cultures that don’t serve you. When you know your values, you lead with confidence, set boundaries, and make career decisions that support both your advancement and your well-being.
The Checklist: 5 Core Values to Define Now
Use this checklist to get laser-focused before your next move. Take your time to reflect and write down your personal definitions for each value.
1. Authenticity
Checklist Questions:
- Do I feel safe and empowered to show up as my true self at work?
- Am I able to voice my ideas, concerns, and boundaries without fear of backlash or tokenism?
- Does this organization value diverse perspectives and lived experiences, or does it reward code-switching and conformity?
Why it matters:
Authenticity is the bedrock of sustainable leadership. When you can lead as your full self, you’re more engaged, creative, and resilient. For Black women, environments that demand assimilation or silence your voice are red flags for burnout and disengagement.
2. Equity & Justice
Checklist Questions:
- Does this company’s leadership reflect diversity at all levels, not just in statements or on paper?
- Are there fair and transparent processes for promotions, pay, and recognition?
- How does the organization address microaggressions, bias, and systemic barriers for Black women leaders?
Why it matters:
Equity isn’t just about what’s promised. It’s about what’s practiced. As a Black woman executive, you deserve workplaces that actively dismantle barriers, not reinforce them. Aligning with organizations that prioritize justice ensures your hard work is recognized and rewarded fairly.
3. Impact & Purpose
Checklist Questions:
- Does this role or company’s mission resonate with my personal and professional purpose?
- Will my work contribute to something larger than profit, such as community, innovation, or social change?
- Can I see tangible ways my leadership makes a difference for others?
Why it matters:
Purpose fuels perseverance. Black women leaders often carry the dual burden of high expectations and representation. When your work aligns with a deeper impact, you’re more likely to feel fulfilled, and less likely to be derailed by setbacks or toxic cultures.
4. Work-Life Harmony
Checklist Questions:
- Does this opportunity support my need for balance and well-being, or does it demand constant sacrifice and hustle?
- What boundaries will I need to set to protect my mental, emotional, and physical health?
- Are flexible work arrangements, mental health supports, and family-friendly policies available and respected?
Why it matters:
Chronic overwork is not a badge of honor, it’s a recipe for burnout. Black women executives deserve to thrive both at work and at home. Choose environments that respect your boundaries and support the full spectrum of your life.
5. Growth & Recognition
Checklist Questions:
- Does this organization invest in my development through mentorship, sponsorship, or stretch assignments?
- Are there clear, unbiased pathways for advancement and leadership?
- Will my contributions be recognized, valued, and celebrated?
Why it matters:
Stagnation is the enemy of ambition. Black women leaders are often overlooked or undervalued in majority spaces. Prioritizing growth and recognition ensures you’re not just filling a seat, you’re building a legacy and expanding your influence.
Putting It All Together: Your Core Values Alignment Checklist
Before your next career move, ask yourself:
- Am I clear on my top 3–5 non-negotiable values?
- Does this opportunity align with my values, or will I have to compromise what matters most?
- How does this organization demonstrate its values in practice, not just on paper?
- What questions will I ask in interviews to assess alignment with my core values?
- What boundaries am I willing to set or enforce to protect my values?
How to Use Your Core Values in Your Career Strategy
- Articulate your values: Write down what each value means to you. Use real-world examples from your career.
- Ask targeted questions: During interviews and networking, inquire about specific policies, leadership demographics, and support systems.
- Evaluate offers holistically: Look beyond salary and title. Consider culture, leadership, flexibility, and advancement.
- Set and communicate boundaries: Make it clear what you will and won’t compromise on, both to yourself and to potential employers.
- Revisit and refine: As you grow, your values may evolve. Check in with yourself regularly to ensure alignment.
Final Thoughts: Make Your Next Move with Strategic Clarity
Defining your core values isn’t just an exercise. It’s your secret weapon for navigating career moves with confidence and strategy. For Black women executives, values-driven decision-making is how you claim your power, safeguard your well-being, and build a career that truly serves you.
Ready to get clear on your values and take your next step with confidence?
Download our Core Values Alignment Worksheet and book a strategy session today.
Remember: The most empowered career moves start with knowing exactly what you stand for.
Stay empowered. Lead with purpose. Your values are your North Star.
Why Defining Your Core Values is a Career Game-Changer
If you’ve ever felt torn between a high-paying offer and a role that truly aligns with your purpose, your core values are the compass you’ve been missing. When your career is built on clearly defined values, you don’t just climb the ladder. You also design a life and legacy that feel authentic and fulfilling.
✨ Here’s how embracing your core values transforms your career:
- 🧭 Clarity in Decision-Making: You’ll stop second-guessing and start choosing opportunities that feel aligned and empowering.
- 🧘🏾♀️ Reduced Stress and Burnout: When your work aligns with your beliefs, you experience more peace, satisfaction, and balance.
- 💬 Stronger Leadership Presence: Grounded in your values, you communicate with more confidence, lead with authenticity, and command respect.
- 💼 Aligned Opportunities: Whether you’re evaluating a promotion or pivoting industries, your core values help you filter offers that support, not sabotage, your vision.
- 💖 Fulfillment and Joy: Success is more sustainable when it reflects who you truly are.
Whether you’re in a transition or ready to lead at a higher level, aligning your career with your core values puts you back in the driver’s seat.
🎯 Download the Core Values Alignment Worksheet and take the first step toward building a career that honors who you are and where you’re going.
I’m a certified executive coach and an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) for Twanna Carter Professional & Personal Coaching, LLC. I flubbed my first career transition from the military so badly, it took me the next 10+ years to build my confidence and recover. I know what it feels like to struggle with imposter syndrome and uncertainty about my leadership skills in the workplace. It’s why I am dedicated to empowering Black women. Helping them navigate career challenges and uncertainty by providing them with the tools and strategies they need to be successful. Schedule a V.I.P. Roadmap session today.
If you enjoyed this blog, please share it. If you’re also feeling generous, consider Buying Me a Coffee.☕️
Curated Reads: Essential Books to Add to Your Personal Library
- Corporate Blues, The Untold Stories of Women in Toxic Workplaces, presented by Dr. Carey Yazeed, featuring Dr. Twanna Carter
- Job Offers 101 – Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know by Dr. Twanna Carter
- Melaninated Magic: 180 Affirmations to Nurture Your Soul and Unleash Your Black Girl Joy by Dr. Twanna Carter
- Unbreak My Soul: How Black Women Can Begin To Heal From Workplace Trauma, by Carey Yazeed, PhD
- The Next Level: A 30-Day Career Growth Planner for Black Women by Dr. Twanna Carter
- 33 Tools to Remake Your Career by Paul Gabriel Dionne
- Negotiating While Black: Be Who You Are to Get What You Want by Damali Peterman
- I’m Not Yelling: A Black Woman’s Guide to Navigating the Workplace (Successful Black Business Women), by Elizabeth Leiba.
- Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler.
- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini.
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
- Overworked and Undervalued: Black Women and Success in America by Rosalyn D. Davis, Sharon L. Bowman, et. al.
- Power Negotiation – Getting to the Yes: Strategies to Get What You Want, When You Want It by Patrick Kennedy
- Set Free to Live Free: Breaking Through the 7 Lies Women Tell Themselves by Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD
Read my latest blogs…
- The 5 Core Values Every Black Woman Executive Should Define Before Her Next Career Move
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by opportunities, yet unsure which path truly fits your ambitions, identity, and well-being? If you’re a Black woman… Read more: The 5 Core Values Every Black Woman Executive Should Define Before Her Next Career Move - How to Protect Yourself from Being Managed Out – The Ultimate Survival Playbook for Black Women ExecutivesYou walk into the Monday morning meeting, coffee in hand, feeling ready to tackle the week. But something’s off. The room feels… Read more: How to Protect Yourself from Being Managed Out – The Ultimate Survival Playbook for Black Women Executives
- What Your Inner Critic Is Really Costing You. And How to Take Back ControlHave you ever replayed a single mistake in your mind for days, doubted your abilities before a big meeting, or hesitated to ask… Read more: What Your Inner Critic Is Really Costing You. And How to Take Back Control
- Why Black Women Execs Doubt Their Voice (and How to Reclaim Your Power)And it starts now. If you’re ready to reclaim your voice, you don’t have to do it alone. Schedule your V.I.P. Roadmap Session… Read more: Why Black Women Execs Doubt Their Voice (and How to Reclaim Your Power)
- The Trauma Behind the Mask: Why I Walked Away from My Six-Figure JobI didn’t leave my job because I was unqualified. I didn’t leave because I couldn’t handle the work. They began managing me out.… Read more: The Trauma Behind the Mask: Why I Walked Away from My Six-Figure Job
- Stop Overgiving. Because It’s a Silent Career Killer for High-Achieving WomenYou’re smart. Capable. The one everyone counts on. From boardrooms to family rooms, you handle it all with grace. But beneath the surface,… Read more: Stop Overgiving. Because It’s a Silent Career Killer for High-Achieving Women
+ show Comments
- Hide Comments
add a comment