LISTEN UP: https://www.thepozcast.com/the-devil-emails-at-midnight-lessons-from-bad-bosses-mita-mallick/

I am thrilled to welcome back one of my favorite guests, Mita Mallick! She has a new book out, The Devil Emails at Midnight: Lessons from Bad Bosses, out on 9/30. Let's dig in!

My guest on #thePOZcast is a powerhouse at the intersection of business, storytelling, and inclusion. Mita Mallick is a bold voice in the movement to build cultures of belonging—backed by years of leadership experience at powerhouse brands like Unilever, Pfizer, and Carta. She’s a former Chief Diversity Officer, current Head of DEI and Strategic Initiatives, and the host of the Brown Table Talk podcast, where she and her co-host pull back the curtain on what it’s really like to navigate corporate America as a woman of color.

She’s also the author of Reimagine Inclusion: Debunking 13 Myths to Transform Your Workplace, a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller that’s challenging outdated corporate norms and helping leaders lead better. She has a brand new book coming out on September 30th, The Devil Emails at Midnight: What Good Leaders Can Learn From Bad Bosses that we will dig into and unpack. Whether she’s on stage, on air, or in the boardroom—Mita is rewriting the narrative on what inclusive leadership truly looks like.

The Devil Emails at Midnight has already been mentioned by Entrepreneur Magazine as Must-Read Career Books to Consider in 2025.

Pre-order now (out 9/30): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1394316488

Connect with Mita: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mita-mallick-2b165822/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Inclusive Leadership and Bad Bosses
03:00 The Impact of Personal Experiences on Leadership
05:57 Understanding the Roots of Bad Boss Behavior
09:10 The Role of Self-Awareness in Leadership
12:05 The Importance of Recognition and Visibility in the Workplace
14:42 Creating a Culture of Vulnerability and Feedback
17:55 Accountability and Self-Reflection in Leadership
21:47 Understanding Exit Interviews and Team Dynamics
23:00 Leadership's Role in Organizational Culture
24:24 Assessing Leadership Qualities in Interviews
27:02 Self-Reflection for Bad Bosses
28:37 The Importance of Storytelling in Leadership
30:28 Disengagement: The Silent Culture Killer
32:00 Navigating Bad Bosses: Strategies for Employees
33:18 The Shift Towards Employee Well-Being
34:52 Coaching vs. Directing: A Leadership Approach
37:25 Raising Kind and Inclusive Future Generations
39:00 Looking Inward: Accountability in Leadership