733: The Way to Notice People Better, with Zach Mercurio

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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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ANECDOTE

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.

INSIGHT

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.

INSIGHT

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.

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Zach Mercurio: The Power of Mattering

Zach Mercurio is an author, researcher, and speaker specializing in purposeful leadership, mattering, meaningful work, and positive organizational psychology. He teaches a course with past guest Simon Sinek on how leaders can show everyone how they matter. He is the author of The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance*.

When you ask people what mattered in their careers, few cite the bonus, or the stock options, or the employee of the month award. What they do talk about are the times they were remembered, supported, thanked, and seen. In this conversation, Zach and I discuss how to do that better.

Key Points

When people are asked about when they mattered, they recall small moments of being remembered, helped, thanked, or seen.
The behavior of a leader accounts for half of the increased feelings of mattering and meaningfulness at work.
Rather than identifying with a person’s behavior, identify first with the person.
Look for the positive traits in a person or identify something that you love.
Music is the space between the notes. In our informal interactions, we have the choice to turn against, turn away, or turn towards.
Leaders who notice people well consistently follow three steps: observe, note, and share.

Resources Mentioned

The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance* by Zach Mercurio

Interview Notes

Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).

Related Episodes

Start With Why, with Simon Sinek (episode 223)
How to Shift Behavior for Better Results, with Mitch Warner (episode 690)
How to Bring Out the Best in People, with Donna Hicks (episode 724)

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