Welcome back to The Grey Areas Podcast! This week, we’re joined by Zach Mercurio, a researcher, speaker and author of The Invisible Leader and The Power of Mattering. Through his work with global brands like the US Army, Delta Airlines, and the National Park Service, Zach shares how purposeful leadership creates cultures where people truly feel seen, valued, and essential.

In this episode, we dive deep into how leaders can build trust, repair broken relationships, and activate purpose at every level of an organization. Zach also shares real-world examples of how small, consistent acts of recognition can transform workplace culture.

Highlights include:

• 04:11 – The difference between feeling valued and knowing you matter—and why it’s crucial for leaders to understand both.
• 09:44 – How middle managers can create "microclimates" of mattering, even in challenging environments.
• 17:59 – Purposeful leadership: the traits that separate good leaders from great ones.
• 24:50 – The three core practices of mattering: Noticing, Affirming, and Needing, and how to apply them effectively.
• 33:46 – Real-world stories of leaders who prioritize mattering, and the powerful ripple effects it creates.
• 49:04 – Cubicle Confession: Zach advises a new manager on how to rebuild trust with a disengaged employee who’s been overlooked for years.

Tune in to discover how leadership grounded in mattering can reshape your team and redefine what it means to lead with purpose.

Zach's Links:
Website: Power of Mattering
LinkedIn: Zach Mercurio
Instagram @zachmercurio

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