Moving from manager to director is often described as a “natural next step”. In reality, it’s one of the biggest shifts in your career — and for Black professionals, it can come with a whole extra layer of complexity that rarely gets acknowledged.
On paper, you’re still leading people, still delivering outcomes, still accountable. But behind the scenes, almost everything changes.
Here’s what actually shifts — and what no one really prepares you for.
Your job stops being about doing — and starts being about influence
As a manager, you’re valued for execution. You deliver projects, manage teams, solve problems. Results are visible and measurable.
As a director, your value is less about what you personally do and more about how you shape direction. You’re expected to influence decisions, manage risk, and think several moves ahead — often without clear instructions.
This can be uncomfortable, especially if you’ve built your career on being dependable, capable, and hands-on. Many Black professionals are promoted because they’re seen as “safe pairs of hands”, then quietly judged for not being “strategic enough” — without ever being told what strategy actually looks like in that organisation.
What helps:
Start asking bigger questions. Get comfortable contributing opinions early, even when things feel half-formed. Strategy isn’t about being right — it’s about being in the conversation.
Visibility increases — so does scrutiny
At director level, people are watching you more closely than you might realise. Your tone, your confidence, your decisions, even how you show emotion — all of it is noticed.
For Black leaders, this scrutiny can be uneven. You may feel pressure to:
- Be confident, but not intimidating
- Be authentic, but not “too much”
- Challenge decisions, but not be seen as difficult
Mistakes that might be overlooked in others can feel amplified. Successes can sometimes be attributed to luck, timing, or “support”, rather than capability.
What no one tells you:
This isn’t a personal failing. It’s structural. Naming it — even privately — can help you stop internalising unfair standards.
Relationships matter more than ever
At senior level, progression isn’t just about performance. It’s about trust, perception, and sponsorship.
Who backs you when you’re not in the room matters. Who understands your value matters. Who feels comfortable advocating for you matters.
Many Black professionals reach manager level without access to these informal networks. Then, at director level, they’re told they need to be “more visible” or “build relationships”, without being shown how power actually moves behind closed doors.
Practical step:
Identify who influences decisions in your organisation — not just by title, but by impact. Build relationships intentionally. This isn’t politics; it’s navigation.
You may feel lonelier than expected
Director roles can be isolating. You’re closer to power, but often further away from peers you can be fully open with.
If you’re one of very few — or the only — Black director, this can be intensified. You might feel a responsibility to represent, to succeed, to not “mess it up for others”, all while navigating pressure that isn’t always visible to colleagues.
This emotional load is real, and it’s rarely acknowledged in leadership development programmes.
What helps:
External networks, mentors, or peer groups who get it. Spaces where you don’t have to explain yourself are not a luxury — they’re essential.
Confidence looks different at this level
Imposter syndrome doesn’t magically disappear when you get the title. In fact, it often gets louder.
You may question whether you truly belong, especially if:
- There’s no clear pathway people like you have taken before
- Feedback is vague or inconsistent
- Expectations feel unspoken
The truth is, most directors are figuring things out as they go. The difference is who feels entitled to learn in public — and who feels they have to be perfect from day one.
Stepping into director-level leadership on your own terms
Moving from manager to director isn’t just a promotion — it’s a mindset shift. For Black professionals, it often requires unlearning the idea that hard work alone is enough, and learning how to operate in systems that weren’t designed with you in mind.
You don’t need to change who you are to lead at this level. But you do deserve transparency, support, and access to opportunities that make progression sustainable — not exhausting.
At Black Leadership Job Board, we see the ambition, capability, and readiness of Black professionals every day. The challenge isn’t a lack of talent — it’s a lack of equitable pathways to senior leadership.
And that’s exactly what needs to change.
