Pressure comes with leadership—but some values remain non-negotiable. We asked women across industries to name the one principle they refuse to compromise on, no matter the circumstances. Here’s how that commitment has shaped their leadership and the companies they help steer.
Respect as the Cornerstone of Leadership
Patty Hickok of NANA North, LLC, says respect is the foundation for everything else in her leadership approach.
“Respect is the one value I refuse to compromise on. As someone in HR, I always say that people are always our #1 priority, and every individual should be acknowledged, respected, and genuinely valued for who they are. Respect is the spark that transforms individual contributions into collective success. It has shaped my leadership by reminding me to lead by example—paying close attention, acting with care, and creating a culture where teams feel supported, empowered, and able to do their best work.”
Julie Castro Abrams of How Women Lead, also refuses to lead without respect at the center.
“Respect, always. How you treat people, whether it’s your team, partners, or the person just starting out, says everything about who you are as a leader. Respect builds trust, and trust is the foundation of teams that innovate, persevere, and ultimately succeed. It’s also what inspires investors and collaborators to believe not just in your business, but in you. I’ve seen again and again that when respect is non-negotiable, people rise higher together.”
Uncompromising Integrity in Fast-Moving Fields
Taryn Pumphrey, President of Ledger Lift, has built her leadership around unwavering standards of accuracy and ethics.
“I refuse to compromise on integrity. No matter how much pressure there is to cut corners or rush through tasks, I always insist on accuracy and transparency because business owners rely on trustworthy numbers to make important decisions. This mindset has shaped my leadership style by creating a team culture where honesty and diligence aren’t optional—they’re expected.”
Corina Tham, Business Development Director at CheapForexVPS, echoes that integrity is non-negotiable in high-pressure trading sectors.
“As a Business Development Director excelling in the fast-paced realm of forex and trading technologies, my core value is honesty. It’s non-negotiable. The trading sector evolves quickly—sometimes too quickly—but I’ve discovered that taking shortcuts or compromising moral principles leads to far greater consequences over time. Honesty fosters reliability, and reliability drives long-term growth.”
Principles That Guide Strategic Growth
Shannon Smith O’Connell, Operations Director at Reclaim247, refuses to sacrifice long-term vision for short-term solutions.
“I refuse to compromise on second-order thinking. It is essential to consider not just the immediate outcomes but also the ripple effects of choices we make today. This mindset helps me evaluate whether a short-term gain is worth potential long-term challenges, encouraging my team to assess impacts that extend beyond their initial scope. This approach ensures that our strategies at Reclaim247 do not just solve problems temporarily but also contribute to the company’s sustainable growth and integrity in the long run.”
Melanie Borden, CEO of The Borden Group, restructured her business model to protect a value she refuses to let go of: family-first leadership.
“I was once lucky enough to work for a leader who showed me it’s possible to balance career and family. That experience shaped me. The leadership team made it clear that family comes first. Today, as a mom and CEO, I refuse to compromise on that value. That’s why in 2024 I restructured my business to move from in-house employees to an all-contractor model, creating the flexibility I’d always wanted, and honoring the same need in others.”
Truth, Compassion, and Dignity at the Core
Riana Malia, CEO and Founder of Clear to Create ~ Your Very Best Life, says truth is the baseline for leadership that transforms.
“The principle I refuse to compromise on is truth. In leadership and in life, truth is the foundation of trust — and without trust, nothing sustainable can be built. There have been seasons where it would have been easier to soften my truth to keep the peace, but every time I did, it cost me clarity, energy, and alignment. Today, I lead with uncompromising honesty, even when it’s uncomfortable, because it creates the conditions where women feel safe to be fully themselves — and that’s where transformation and true leadership begin.”
Aja Chavez, Executive Director at Mission Prep Healthcare, centers her leadership on an unshakeable commitment to patient dignity.
“Patient dignity is the principle I guard most closely, especially in adolescent mental healthcare. During tough organizational pushes, I’ve stopped conversations cold if care quality was being treated as negotiable, because compassion can’t be a shortcut. That value defines how I train staff and design programs—protecting the therapeutic relationship as sacred always leads to better outcomes.”
From respect and integrity to second-order thinking and patient dignity, these women are reshaping leadership by refusing to compromise on the values that matter most. Their principles not only guide decision-making—they build cultures that last.
