Many leaders are working hard to build cultures of trust, connection, and performance, yet people still leave work feeling unseen, overlooked, or undervalued. In this conversation, I sat down with Zach Mercurio, researcher, speaker, leadership development facilitator, and author of The Power of Mattering and The Invisible Leader, to explore why the need to matter is so fundamental to how we experience work and leadership.

What I loved about this conversation is that Zach brings together deep research with practical leadership insight. We explore why mattering is more than belonging or inclusion, how meaningful work is shaped through everyday interactions, and why psychological safety may actually be mattering in disguise. This is such an important conversation for leaders who want to build thriving teams where people feel seen, heard, valued, and needed.

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) – Introduction

(00:46) – Introduction to Zach Mercurio

(02:20) – Why mattering is a fundamental human need

(03:05) – The research behind meaningful work

(35:23) – Belonging vs inclusion vs mattering

(37:08) – Why do perks not matter

(37:33) – Mattering and psychological safety

(39:05) – How leaders become a secure base

(44:47) – Recognition vs affirmation

(45:13) – How to help people see their unique contribution

(53:04) – The one question leaders should ask their team

(53:52) – Final Thoughts

This is a refreshing reminder that people do not just want to belong, they want to know they are significant. They want to feel seen, heard, valued, and needed, and when that happens, it changes how they show up, how they contribute, and how safe they feel to learn, speak up, and grow. It also made me reflect on how easy it is for leaders to focus on structure, process, and performance, while overlooking the small daily moments that communicate care and value. This conversation is a reminder that thriving teams are built in those moments.

When people feel that they matter, they act like they matter.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a leader who is trying to build a more human, grounded, and psychologically safe team.