Keywords

leadership, mattering, significance, organizational culture, positive leadership, emotional intelligence, gratitude, community, engagement, personal development

Episode Summary

In this episode of Beards Book Club, Garth Nichols and Jason Rogers dig into a simple but powerful idea: mattering. Drawing from Zach Mercurio’s work, they explore what it really means for people to feel seen, valued, and significant—especially inside organizations and schools.

The conversation challenges the notion that mattering is abstract or fluffy. Instead, Jason and Garth unpack how mattering is something leaders do, not something they hope people feel. Through small, intentional actions—micro moments of attention, gratitude, and care—leaders can shape cultures where people know they belong and that their presence makes a difference.

This episode is a reminder that leadership isn’t about volume or authority, but about noticing, naming, and valuing the people right in front of us.

Take Aways

• Leadership in society feels fragile right now

• Many leadership truths are simple—and we learned them early

• Mattering is not theoretical; it’s actionable

• We can’t assume our voice automatically carries significance

• Mattering isn’t a feeling—it’s an experience we create for others

• Leaders must demonstrate mattering, not just talk about it

• Micro moments shape culture more than we realize

• Spaces are changed because of who is present

• Articulated attention is at the heart of mattering

• This may be the most valuable $20 investment in leadership learning

Sound Bites

“Leadership in society is in peril right now.”
“Mattering is actionable.”
“Articulated attention is key to mattering.”

Time Stamps

00:00 – Welcome to Season Three
06:34 – What does it mean to matter?
08:19 – Leadership, voice, and significance
10:55 – Micro moments, gratitude, and attention
13:40 – Practicing significance as a leader
17:02 – Final reflections and call to action
18:03 – Beards Book Club outro