Keywords
leadership, empathy, mattering, significance, education, workplace culture, gratitude, belonging, engagement, coaching

Summary
In this episode of Lassoing Leadership, hosts Jason Rogers and Garth Nichols sit down with Dr. Zach Mercurio to explore the essential human need to matter. Together, they unpack why significance is a primal driver for people, the difference between belonging and mattering, and how leaders can create cultures where individuals feel valued and essential. Dr. Mercurio shares practical strategies for addressing the “mattering deficit” in schools and organizations, illustrating how small, intentional acts of gratitude and recognition can transform engagement, performance, and well-being. Through stories and insights, the conversation highlights how leaders can build environments where people not only belong, but truly matter.

Takeaways

• Mattering is a primal survival instinct—being important to someone else.

• People must feel valued in order to add value.

• Mattering and belonging are distinct: belonging is inclusion, mattering is significance.

• The mattering deficit is a pressing challenge in organizations today.

• Simple, specific interactions can foster mattering.

• Gratitude is most powerful when concrete and personal.

• Care must be felt before people can care about their work.

• Leaders can intentionally cultivate mattering through daily interpersonal skills.

• Helping people see their unique contributions boosts engagement.

• Cultures of mattering drive stronger performance and healthier workplaces.

Titles

• The Heart of Empathy in Leadership

• Unlocking the Power of Mattering

Sound Bites

• “Gratitude is a skill and an art.”

• “You can’t unsee the mattering deficit.”

• “Keep leading the Lasso way.”

Chapters
00:00 – Introduction to Mattering in Leadership
05:43 – The Importance of Feeling Valued
08:12 – Mattering vs. Belonging: A Deeper Dive
11:03 – Mattering as an Actionable Concept
15:25 – Strategies to Combat the Mattering Deficit
19:58 – The Power of Gratitude in Leadership
24:19 – Seeing the Unseen: The Impact of Mattering
29:01 – Real-Life Applications: The Hockey Team Story