The Power of Mattering with Zach Mercurio
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
Release Date: 09/03/2025
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info_outlineWhat happens when you realize you matter? In this episode, Kevin talks with Zach Mercurio about the often-overlooked human need to feel important and how leaders at all levels can foster this through everyday interactions. Zach explains how his early research with custodial staff showed that small, intentional moments—like being seen, acknowledged, and validated—are the building blocks of meaning at work. These "moments of mattering," he says, aren't about big gestures but about real human connection. Kevin and Zach also explore the link between mattering and trust, the challenge of staying focused in today’s distracted world, and how leaders can create cultures where everyone feels valued and essential.
Listen For
00:00 Introduction
00:35 How to Join the Podcast Live
01:14 About Zach Mercurio
02:15 Welcome Zach
02:55 Why Mattering Matters
04:17 Defining Moments of Mattering
05:03 Discovering the Concept of Mattering
06:14 Leadership Happens in Moments
07:04 Human Interaction vs Symbols of Value
08:09 Why Engagement Programs Fall Short
09:06 The Three-Part Framework of Mattering
10:14 Noticing vs Knowing
11:15 Appreciation vs Affirmation
12:33 Feeling Needed at Work
13:03 The Power of If It Wasn't for You
15:30 Turning Good Intentions into Practice
16:15 Mindset Skillset Habitset
17:19 Translating Ideas into Real-World Action
18:18 The Myth of Being Too Busy
20:11 Relearning the Skills of Connection
21:13 Tech and the Loss of Human Interaction
22:00 Not Soft Skills Essential Skills
22:20 The Best Question a Leader Can Ask
23:00 You Don’t Need Permission to Lead This Way
25:02 You Always Have Interactional Power
26:06 Culture is Non-directional
27:06 Trust Begins with Care
28:00 The Human Advantage in the Age of AI
29:08 Belonging vs Inclusion vs Mattering
30:36 Where to Start Building Mattering
31:33 What Zach Does for Fun
31:58 What Zach is Reading
33:00 Final Thoughts and How to Connect
35:12 Your Call to Action
36:10 Wrap-Up
Zach's Story: Zach Mercurio is the author of The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance. He is a researcher, leadership development facilitator, and speaker specializing in purposeful leadership, mattering, and meaningful work. Zach advises leaders in organizations worldwide on practices for building cultures that promote well-being, motivation, and performance. He holds a Ph.D. in organizational learning, performance, and change from Colorado State University, where he serves as a senior fellow at the Center for Meaning and Purpose and as an instructor in the Organizational Learning, Performance, and Change program.
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