

733: The Way to Notice People Better, with Zach Mercurio
75 snips May 12, 2025
Zach Mercurio, an author and researcher on purposeful leadership, discusses the importance of making people feel they matter at work. He emphasizes that recognition often comes from small moments rather than big rewards. Mercurio highlights that leadership behavior accounts for half of employees' feelings of worthiness and outlines a simple three-step process for leaders: observe, note, and share. He also touches on the impact of genuine connections and the significance of acknowledging others to foster a meaningful workplace culture.
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Parenting Through Connection
- Zach Mercurio shifted from a transactional to relational approach with his son regarding tablet time.
- This change fostered meaningful conversation and connection instead of conflict and compliance.
The Value of Small Moments
- People recall small moments of being seen, thanked, or supported as what makes them feel they matter.
- Most organizational interactions are transactional, lacking the deeper care that fosters connection.
Leadership's Impact on Mattering
- Leader behavior accounts for about half of employees' feelings of mattering and meaningfulness at work.
- Feeling that one matters is foundational for engagement, safety, and access to support.