Navigating Your Leadership Journey: Tailored Tips for Black Men in Mid-Level Roles
By Dominic George · April 19th 2025

Happy Saturday! Word Count: 1595…12.17 minutes. Copy edited by Dominic George

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Vision Leadership for Life newsletter, designed with the specific challenges faced by Black men in mid-level leadership positions in mind. We understand the unique journey you’re on, and our goal is to provide practical insights to help you thrive in your professional evolution. So, lets dive into today’s topic and Elevate Your Leadership.

The Pressure to Perform: How Black Men in Leadership Can Reclaim their Authenticity

Let’s Get Honest for a Moment: Being a Black man in a leadership position is not easy. In fact, according to research and lived experience, over 95% of Black men in leadership roles feel immense pressure—not just to deliver results, but to perform.

Perform excellence. Perform composure. Perform safety.

The pressure creates a quiet storm inside: a tension between who we are and who we think we have to be. It becomes a daily negotiation, between fitting into dominant cultural norms and staying true to ourselves. And for many of us, that negotiation starts to wear us down. And there’s the hidden cost of “performing” leadership.

Let’s name what this pressure actually looks like below:

1. You say less than what you’re thinking, because you’re afraid it’ll be “too much.”

2. You shrink your tone, language, or presence to avoid being seen as a threat.

3. You feel like you’re always “on,” monitoring your face, body, and words.

4. You constantly question whether your leadership style is enough, even if your results say otherwise.

5. You wonder if you’re leading or simply surviving.

This is the silent tax of performing while Black. On the surface, everything might look fine. You’re producing. You’re visible. You’re even being praised. But underneath?

• You’re tired.

• You’re doubting yourself.

• And you’re slowly disconnecting from the leader you know you’re meant to be.

This is where burnout begins. This is where imposter syndrome festers. This is where career success and personal fulfillment part ways. And it’s not your fault. You didn’t create the system. But you are expected to navigate it without a playbook and still deliver like you’re not carrying double the weight.

The Performance Trap: Why We Play the Game! Many of us Black men were taught that we had to be twice as good just to get half as far. That advice came from love — but it also came from trauma. So we learned to over perform, over achieve, and overlook our needs just to be seen as competent, let alone exceptional. 

But here’s the truth: that game was never designed for us to win. It was designed for us to stay in line. We were never meant to feel at home in rooms where we were invited, but not welcomed. And over time, what starts as strategy becomes identity. The mask becomes the method. And we forget what our real leadership voice even sounds like.

Additional Tip for Black Men: Shift #2: Your voice is not too much — It’s been silence too long. You’ve probably learned to measure your words, soften your passion, hold back your truth in the name of “professionalism.” But your leadership voice wasn’t meant to be muted, it was meant to move things. The power is in how you say it, yes—but don’t confuse tact with silence. When you speak with alignment, clarity, and strategy, you don’t just get heard, you lead.

So my advice: Reclaim your voice. Start small. One meeting, one conversation, one boundary at a time.

The 4 Essential Mindset Shifts to Lead with Power, Not Performance

Step into your most authentic leadership self: First, let go of the need for validation. We’ve been conditioned to constantly seek approval, whether it’s from senior leadership, white peers, or institutional systems. But true leadership doesn’t come from being chosen. It comes from being clear.

You don’t need permission to lead with power. You already have the experience, the insight, and the presence. What you need now is alignment between who you are and how you lead. So try this on:

• Ask yourself, “What part of me am I hiding in order to be accepted here?”

• Then ask, “What would it look like to lead without that filter?”

The more you practice leading from truth, not from performance, the more magnetic, and effective you become.

Second, focus on impact over image. Society will always try to box you in. It will tell you to smile more, tone it down, and be “polished.” But leadership is not about optics, it’s about outcomes. So the questions are: What are you building? And, what kind of change are you making? And remember, your authenticity isn’t a liability, it’s a multiplier.

When you stop spending energy managing your image, you start focusing on purposeful results. And that inspires everyone around you, especially those who have been waiting for permission to do the same. Here’s my strategy tip: Get clear on the impact you want to make this quarter. Define it in a way that aligns with your values, not just your deliverables. Let that be your North Star.

Third, redefine what success means to you. We’ve been taught to chase titles, recognition, and status as signs of success. But many Black men reach those milestones and still feel unfulfilled, because the way they had to get there cost them too much.

Real success is being able to lead with your voice intact. To speak with clarity, lead with conviction, and sleep at night knowing you didn’t have to shrink yourself to level up. So, for those Black men at that inflection point, here’s the shift: Success is not being accepted, it’s being aligned. Write down your definition of success in one sentence. Then compare it to the metrics you’re chasing. Are they the same? If not, adjust your path, not your purpose.

Finally, Black men, make room for wellness and reflection. You can’t lead powerfully if you’re running on empty. Too many of us normalize exhaustion as proof of excellence. But burnout is not a badge of honor, it’s a warning sign that something is out of alignment. Black men in leadership deserve rest. Reconnection. Real reflection. And, it’s up to you to build in space to pause.

Start your week with a 10-minute leadership check-in and ask yourself these questions:

• How do I feel?

• What do I need?

• Am I leading from clarity or from fear?

You’d be surprised how much power is uncovered when you lead from a full tank.

Additional Tip for Black Men: Shift #4: Lead with legacy in mind. You’re not just leading for yourself. You’re showing the next wave what’s possible. There are younger Black men watching you, many of whom are wondering if they have to become someone else to succeed.

Show them that it’s possible to lead with clarity, with power, and with authenticity. Your presence creates permission. Your leadership can become their blueprint. So ask yourself: “What legacy am I building through the way I lead today?” Your legacy doesn’t start later. It’s in every meeting, every decision, every moment you choose alignment over approval.

Closing Thoughts:

In summary, leadership doesn’t have to cost you yourself. The world may not always reward authenticity in the short term. But the reward for staying true to yourself is peace, clarity, and power that can’t be shaken by systems or opinions. So lead, but lead from within. Remember, the next level of your leadership won’t come from performing, it will come from owning your voice, trusting your vision, and refusing to shrink. We’re not just building careers, we’re building freedom.

Fellas, your journey is both unique and powerful. If you’re ready to start leading from performance and start leading from purpose, then your on the roadmap for greatness. When you’re leading without compromise, you are not only advancing your career but also paving the way for future leaders.

Feel free to reach out for personalized coaching or share your success stories.

Your success is our shared triumph.

Have a POWERFUL Day!

Dominic George