Whole Human Leadership with Melissa McCann-Tilton

Work can be human. Leadership can be heart-forward without losing standards or results. In this episode of Her Best Chapter, host Michelle Savage talks with Melissa McCann-Tilton, president and chief revenue officer at Criteria Corp, revenue strategist, author in Woo Woo, and unapologetic truth teller. Melissa opens up about taking off the armor at work, shifting from power over to power through, and how loss, honesty, and presence reshaped the way she leads. The two dig into what it looks like to set clear expectations without fear, why so many people feel miscast in their roles, and how leaders can create teams built on clarity, responsibility, and care. They also talk about Gen Z's higher bar for healthy workplaces, the myth of 9-to-5 grind culture, and why creative, sustainable performance starts with slowing down. You'll hear the story behind Melissa's "side-hug to full-hug" shift, why she chose to write in Woo Woo, and how love became the most practical tool in her leadership toolkit. It is an honest conversation about presence, power, and building companies where people can do great work and stay whole. Tune in to hear how softening can actually make you stronger, more effective, and far more connected. What You'll Hear About How "armor" shows up at work and what it costs Power over vs power through and why the latter wins Hiring for fit, defining roles clearly, and honest reviews Gen Z standards, return-to-office resistance, and what leaders should learn Why grind culture signals broken systems, not greatness Making room for the whole human and still holding a high bar Writing vulnerable stories without blowing up your life The small practices that build presence and real influence Guest Links 🌐 Criteria Corp: https://www.criteriacorp.com/?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=organic_social 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mccanntilton More from Sulit Press 📚 Explore multi-author books → sulitpress.com/book-store ✍️ Want to become a published author? → sulitpress.com 📲 Follow on Instagram → @sulitpressbooks DISCLAIMER: This is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].