Former Executive Mita Mallick Says ‘Harsh’ Criticism Was the Wake-up Call That Transformed Her Career

Mita Mallick, now a bestselling author and workplace strategist, credits a blunt performance review from a former boss with transforming her career. Once a shy employee who avoided speaking in meetings due to lingering childhood trauma, Mallick says a moment of searing criticism from a supervisor at a Fortune 500 company pushed her to overcome her fears and eventually become a confident public speaker and leader.

Though the feedback was delivered harshly and straightforward, Mallick describes it as the pivotal moment that propelled her forward professionally. Mita Mallick, whose career spans leadership roles in marketing and human resources, recalls struggling early on with self-confidence, particularly when it came to speaking up in the workplace.

Her hesitation, she explains, was rooted in personal experiences of being bullied during childhood—trauma that followed her into the professional world and made her reluctant to draw attention to herself.

Woman in an office | Source: Pexels

“I carried some of that trauma with me into the workplace, meaning I wanted to stay invisible because I was nervous about being a target,” Mallick says.

Despite her ambitions to rise into leadership, Mallick found herself unable to assert her voice in meetings. The turning point came during her tenure at a Fortune 500 company, when her manager summoned her to his office following a talent review.

In what she calls a moment “seared into memory,” Mallick’s supervisor delivered candid feedback: her low visibility and quiet demeanor were limiting her growth. “No one knows what you do here,” he told her. “You’re a wallflower. You don’t speak up. The lights are on, but I don’t know if anyone is home.”

Boss and employee talking | Source: Pexels

The manager also expressed doubt about her potential to move into leadership. The remarks shook Mallick to the core. “I was devastated,” she recalls. After leaving work that day, she went home and coped the best way she knew how—by eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and letting herself process the criticism.

However, Mallick quickly resolved to take action. “He didn’t give it with a lot of kindness, but it was feedback I needed to hear,” she says. Determined to develop her communication skills, Mallick adopted a disciplined approach. She began practicing for presentations like one would train for a sport: with focus and determination.

Over time, she overcame her fear of public speaking and eventually became comfortable delivering keynote speeches in front of an audience, big or small. “I was not born with the gift of gab,” she says. “I practiced like it was a sport.”

Woman posing in front of a group of people | Source: Pexels

Mallick also developed techniques to hold herself accountable in group settings, including telling a colleague ahead of time that she planned to contribute in a meeting. “I always say, I’m not gonna be the loudest voice in the room, but I will have impact,” she notes.

Now a sought-after speaker at business workshops, events, and even on podcasts, Mallick reflects on that difficult conversation with gratitude, despite its delivery. “I don’t like the way he did it, but I’m thankful for it,” she says with pride.