Hi Reader,
Years ago, I worked with a CEO who loved to celebrate people throughout our organization. One day he highlighted Dave, a facilities team member, during a leadership meeting. He invited him into the meeting and then began to gush over him as he stood next to Dave.
“Did you know Dave got the entire cafeteria primed and painted in half the time it took the last contractor? I’ve been a school administrator for 30 years, and I’ve never seen anyone as productive. In fact, he’s not Dave. He’s Super Dave!”
You could see it from the look on his face. No one had ever acknowledged his work like this. From that day on, everyone called him Super Dave. And every time someone said, “Good morning, Super Dave!” It reminded him that he was seen and that he mattered and that his work made a difference to everyone.
That CEO made it clear: not only was Dave valued, but he was also adding value. And that’s the heart of what Zach Mercurio calls mattering in his book The Power of Mattering, the experience of feeling valued and knowing we add value.
Why Mattering Matters
When people feel like they matter at work, everything changes. It builds confidence. It fuels motivation. It deepens engagement. It increases resilience. And it doesn’t just impact how people show up at work, it influences how they feel about themselves. When that happens they are much more likely to show up more confidently and content in all aspects of their life.
Unfortunately it's just not that common in the workplace. In fact, when Jacob Morgan surveyed 14,000 employees on LinkedIn asking, “Does your manager listen well?” only 8% said yes. That statistic is staggering and it also reveals how big of an opportunity there is to help people to feel a sense of significance at work.
As leaders, our job is not just to lead people towards targets and results. It's to create the conditions for people to thrive. That means intentionally shaping the environment so that their fundamental human needs are met.
Needs like:
- Clarity: Knowing what’s expected, what our most important goals are.
- Autonomy: Feeling trusted and empowered to make decisions.
- Connection: Belonging to a team that cares about you as a person.
But beneath all of these is something even more foundational: The need to know we matter. When people feel they are significant, when they know their voice, effort, and presence make a difference they are more likely to rise to their potential.
And yes when we create the conditions to meet the human needs of our team, the results will follow - but that shouldn’t be the driver. Genuine care and consideration is the key to unlocking potential.
Practical Ways to Help Your Team Feel They Matter
Making people feel they matter isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about consistent, intentional practices that signal: I see you. You’re important. You’re making a difference.
Here are 4 noticing practices you can start today:
Name It When You See It: Catch someone doing something excellent, and tell them what you've observed.
“I noticed how you helped the new hire troubleshoot that software issue. That likely saved them a ton of time, and it probably went a long way towards helping them to feel like they are part of our team. Thank you.”
Ask Great Questions: Questions are more powerful than compliments. They show curiosity and care. Try:
“I love how you approached that problem. How did you come up with that solution?”
“What was the most challenging part?”
Invite Their Insight: One of the most powerful signals of mattering is being asked for your perspective. Especially in meetings, say:
“I’d really like to hear what you think about this.”
“My sense is that you might have something to share here, would you be willing to share what's on your mind?”
Follow Up with Follow-Through: When someone shares something vulnerable or important, follow up later.
“I know last week was tough, how are you feeling now?”
The consistency is what tells people they truly matter to you. When you care enough to follow up, it's clear that you care.
Don’t take our word for it
If you think helping your people feel like they matter is more of a nicety than a necessity, check out what these great leaders have to say:
“We all want to be seen and heard. When we feel invisible, our value diminishes. My job is to make sure every player knows how valuable they are to our team.”
-Steve Kerr
“I've talked to nearly 30,000 people on this show, and all 30,000 had one thing in common: they all wanted validation. They wanted to know: Do you hear me? Do you see me? Does what I say mean anything to you?”
-Oprah Winfrey
“The greatest thing a leader can do is let someone know they matter.”
-Bob Chapman
Bottom Line
If we want people to offer something meaningful through their work, we must first help them feel they have something meaningful to offer. That’s the leadership work: creating the kind of culture where mattering isn’t a lucky accident, it’s a regular practice.
What's one thing you can do this week to help someone on your team feel like they matter?
- Shaun & Joe
www.6levers.co
Get the 6 Levers Book
In today's fast-paced business environment, creating a healthy and high-performing organization is more challenging than ever. That's where At the Heart of Work comes in - a practical guide that introduces the 6 Levers Framework, designed to help leaders like you align people and systems effectively.
Whether you're leading a small team or an entire organization, the insights from this book will equip you to build a resilient, purpose-driven workplace where teams thrive.
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