As more Caribbean and Caribbean American women rise into leadership roles across the U.S. and the region, many find themselves carrying a disproportionate burden, navigating cultural expectations, workplace pressure, and the silent weight of being “the strong one.” This balancing act often comes at a cost. A 2023 Gallup report revealed that 44% of workers experience burnout “very often” or “somewhat often,” and research consistently shows that women of color feel this pressure most intensely.
Dr. Kerriann Peart (Contributed Photo) Jamaican-born leadership strategist Dr. Kerriann Peart, founder of Peart Consulting, has made it her mission to help women shift that reality. Drawing from her own experience in U.S. nonprofit and corporate spaces, and now teaching and consulting across the Caribbean, she focuses on helping Caribbean women lead without abandoning their well-being or cultural identity.
Below, Dr. Peart shares insights and practices that Caribbean and Caribbean American women can use to create healthier, more empowered leadership journeys.
Reclaiming the Self Beyond Workplace Expectations
Many Caribbean women grow up hearing messages like “work hard” or “don’t show weakness,” shaping a leadership style built on overperformance. Dr. Peart emphasizes the importance of recognizing how these expectations influence behavior. Instead of automatically taking on more responsibilities or proving one’s worth through constant service, she encourages women to pause and question what expectations truly align with their authentic selves.
She reminds clients that leadership that mutes cultural identity and pushes for overwork, often leads to emotional exhaustion. Reclaiming the self means reconnecting with one’s values, natural communication style, and lived experiences allowing those elements to guide how one leads.
Setting Boundaries That Honor Culture and Well-Being
For many Caribbean women, saying “no” can feel like a sign of ungratefulness or defiance. Ideas often carried from childhood, community norms, and early work experiences. But sustainable leadership requires boundaries that protect emotional, physical, and mental health.
Dr. Peart encourages women to set limits that are firm yet culturally authentic. That may look like speaking with warmth while declining a request, expressing appreciation before setting expectations, or establishing availability rules that prevent burnout. According to a 2022 McKinsey & Company report, women leaders face burnout up to 32% more often than men, making boundaries not just useful, but essential for longevity.
Boundaries are not barriers, they are structures that support purpose, clarity, and peace.
Leading Through Cultural Intelligence
Dr. Peart’s work emphasizes the power of combining emotional intelligence (EQ) with cultural intelligence (CQ). For Caribbean women, this means recognizing how their cultural background influences strengths such as resilience, resourcefulness, and relational leadership.
At the same time, CQ helps women navigate environments where their communication style, tone, or directness may be misinterpreted. Dr. Peart teaches leaders to understand how culture shapes perception not as a way to conform, but to ensure they can communicate effectively while remaining true to themselves.
Understanding these dynamics allows Caribbean women to lead with intention, rather than shrinking or reshaping themselves to fit outdated norms.
Designing a Leadership Path That Supports the Whole Woman
After decades of working across the U.S. and Caribbean, Dr. Peart has seen how often Caribbean women sacrifice personal well-being in service of career success. She guides women to reimagine leadership as a holistic practice one that includes rest, reflection, and connection.
She encourages leaders to routinely check in with their bodies and emotions. Fatigue, irritation, or anxiety, she often explains, are not signs of failure but signals that something needs attention. When women ground themselves through rest and self-awareness, they can make decisions that honor both their goals and their humanity.
A New Chapter for Caribbean Women in Leadership
Dr. Peart’s leadership philosophy is gaining momentum across the Caribbean diaspora because it speaks to a truth many women feel but rarely name: cultural strength should not require personal sacrifice.
Her work challenges Caribbean and Caribbean American women to redefine professionalism in ways that honor identity, protect well-being, and amplify the leadership qualities shaped by their heritage. Whether through her consulting work, teaching at the University of the West Indies, or advising regional organizations, she remains committed to creating environments where women can thrive without erasing any part of themselves.
Her message is clear: leadership is not about contorting yourself to fit expectations, it is about showing up centered, and fully connected to who you are.
