Tiny Moments Matter: Lessons from Zach Mercurio

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, host Andrew sits down with Zach Mercurio, a researcher and expert in the psychology of mattering at work. As a Research and Teaching Fellow in Colorado State University's Department of Psychology's Center for Meaning and Purpose, Mercurio brings both academic rigor and practical wisdom to the conversation, drawn from his extensive work with organizations worldwide.

What makes Mercurio's work particularly valuable is his unique position as a "pracademic" – someone who bridges the gap between research and real-world application.

His insights come not just from theoretical understanding, but from hands-on experience helping organizations like American Express, the U.S. Army, and Delta Airlines create cultures where people feel truly significant.

The Mattering Instinct: A Survival Need

At the heart of Mercurio's research is a profound truth about human nature: mattering is an instinct as basic as survival itself. He shares a touching personal story about the moment his first son was born, watching as the newborn reached up and grasped his finger with surprising strength. Scientists call this the grasp reflex, one of several innate behaviors that newborns exhibit from their first moments of life. As Mercurio explains,

"The first thing we do as human beings is search to matter to someone enough to keep us alive... You would not be listening to this podcast if at some point in your life you did not procure mattering to another person enough to keep you alive."

This primitive survival instinct evolves throughout our lives into a sophisticated psychological need. We develop an ongoing desire to be cared for, seen, and heard by others. We seek validation that we are valued members of our communities and that our presence makes a difference. This evolution from basic survival instinct to complex psychological need helps explain why feeling significant becomes so crucial in our work lives – it's woven into the very fabric of our human experience.

Understanding Mattering in Practice

Mercurio's research reveals three essential components that leaders must address to create a culture of mattering:

1. Feeling Noticed

Being noticed goes beyond simple recognition. As Mercurio explains, "I can know you, but not notice that you're suffering." True noticing requires deliberate attention to the ebbs and flows of people's lives and responding with meaningful action.

One leader Mercurio studied kept a simple notebook where she wrote down personal details about team members' lives each Friday, reviewing it Monday morning to check in on specific concerns or life events. This practice led to exceptional team engagement and loyalty.

2. Feeling Affirmed

Mercurio distinguishes between three important concepts:

• Appreciation: Showing gratitude for who someone is

• Recognition: Acknowledging what someone does

• Affirmation: Showing specific evidence of someone's unique significance

3. Feeling Needed

When people feel replaceable, they tend to act replaceable. Mercurio shares that some of the most powerful words a leader can say are: "If it wasn't for you, this wouldn't be possible."

The Dark Side: Anti-Mattering

While much attention is paid to the positive effects of mattering, Mercurio also explores its shadow side through the concept of "anti-mattering" – the experience of feeling invisible or insignificant. This phenomenon, studied by researcher Gordon Flett at York University, carries as powerful a charge as mattering itself, but in the opposite direction. Like antimatter in physics, which possesses an inverse powerful charge to matter, the experience of anti-mattering can have profound negative effects on individuals and organizations.

When people don't feel they matter, their responses typically manifest in one of two ways. Some individuals retreat into withdrawal, choosing to isolate themselves, withhold their contributions, or ultimately leave their organizations entirely. This withdrawal can be seen as a form of self-protection – if one's contributions aren't valued, why continue to offer them?

Others respond to anti-mattering through what Mercurio calls "acts of desperation." These individuals might engage in complaining, blaming, or gossiping – behaviors that Mercurio suggests are often misinterpreted as personality problems rather than symptoms of a deeper organizational issue. He points to research showing that workplace gossip, for instance, is frequently predicted by psychological contract violations, such as lack of fair treatment or respect from supervisors.

"If I don't matter to someone else," Mercurio explains, "I'm going to find somebody who will listen to me."

This understanding of anti-mattering challenges leaders to look beyond surface-level behavioral issues. Instead of asking "What's wrong with this person?" Mercurio encourages leaders to ask, "What's wrong with the environment?" Often, he notes, the employees labeled as "difficult" are actually the ones feeling most unseen and undervalued in the organization.

Creating a Culture of Mattering

Mercurio emphasizes that mattering isn't just about individual leadership behaviors – it's a systems issue that requires organizational commitment.

He shares the success story of American Express Global Business Travel, which saw a 50% reduction in attrition over eight months after implementing a comprehensive mattering initiative.

Key organizational strategies include:

Making Mattering Behaviors Possible

• Creating time and space for human connection
• Removing barriers to meaningful interaction
• Building systems that support relationship-building

Making Mattering Behaviors Inevitable

• Training leaders in specific mattering practices
• Measuring and evaluating mattering behaviors
• Creating accountability for fostering significance

Making Mattering Behaviors Possible

• Creating time and space for human connection

• Removing barriers to meaningful interaction

• Building systems that support relationship-building

Making Mattering Behaviors Inevitable

• Training leaders in specific mattering practices

• Measuring and evaluating mattering behaviors

• Creating accountability for fostering significance

Practical Applications for Leaders

Mercurio offers several concrete practices leaders can implement immediately:

• Practice Intentional Noticing

  • Keep notes about team members' personal situations

  • Follow up on previous conversations

  • Pay attention to changes in behavior or engagement

• Provide Specific Affirmation

  • Move beyond generic praise

  • Connect individual actions to meaningful impact

  • Highlight unique contributions

• Demonstrate Essential Value

  • Clearly communicate how each person is relied upon

  • Share specific examples of indispensable contributions

  • Use language that reinforces necessity: "Because of you..."

Connections to Broader Social Movements

Mercurio draws fascinating parallels between the concept of mattering and recent workplace phenomena. He notes that both the Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting can be understood through the lens of mattering - or more precisely, its absence.

In August 2023, more workers went on strike than at any point in the 21st century, which Mercurio sees as "mattering in disguise" - a collective expression of feeling unseen and undervalued.

These movements reflect what Mercurio calls "the language of the unheard," reminding us of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s observation that "protest is the language of the unheard." This perspective helps reframe workplace challenges not as individual behavioral issues, but as systemic responses to environments where people don't feel significant.

Future Directions: The Evolution of Mattering

Looking ahead, Mercurio sees mattering becoming increasingly crucial as workplace choice expands.

His upcoming book, "The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance" (May 2025), promises to provide a comprehensive framework for building organizations where everyone feels significant.

The book will explore how leaders can scale mattering practices across entire organizations, making them part of the cultural DNA rather than isolated initiatives.

Key Takeaways

1. Mattering is not just a psychological need but a survival instinct that evolves throughout our lives

2. Anti-mattering manifests in predictable ways - either through withdrawal or desperate attempts to be seen

3. Creating cultures of mattering requires systematic approaches, not just individual leadership behaviors

4. Simple practices like intentional noticing and specific affirmation can have profound impacts on people's sense of significance

Final Thoughts

In a world where 30% of workers feel invisible and 65% feel under-appreciated, Mercurio's research offers hope and practical direction. By understanding mattering as a fundamental human need and implementing systematic approaches to foster it, leaders can create environments where people thrive, contribute meaningfully, and feel truly significant.

As Mercurio powerfully concludes:

"It's very difficult for anything to matter to someone who doesn't first believe that they matter."

Resources for Further Exploration

• Visit Zach Mercurio's website for articles and insights on mattering

• Pre-order "The Power of Mattering" (releasing May 2025)

• Follow Zach on LinkedIn

• Explore the Center for Meaning and Purpose at Colorado State University

Redefining Purpose as Everyday Direction: Lessons from Patrick Hill

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, host Andrew Soren sits down with Patrick Hill, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. Hill's research focuses on purpose and identity development, and he offers a fresh perspectives on what it means to live a purposeful life.

Hill received his PhD from the University of Notre Dame and his BA from Indiana University. His research program examines how to cultivate a life direction and how purpose promotes adaptive lifespan development.

Hill's work challenges traditional notions of purpose; presenting it not as a lofty, unattainable goal, but as something adaptable, accessible, and actionable in our everyday lives. His insights shed light on the role of purpose in well-being, personal growth, and even physical health, often in unexpected ways.

Redefining Purpose

To start, Hill introduces a nuanced understanding of purpose, breaking it down into three key elements:

1. Self-defining: Purpose should be personally attached and definitive.

2. Engaging and energizing: It should lead to greater life engagement and personal agency.

3. Future-oriented: Purpose provides direction and intentionality.

Hill emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between "big P" Purpose - often seen as world-changing and potentially anxiety-inducing - and "small p" purpose, which focuses on everyday actions that provide direction and lead to positive outcomes. This shift in perspective makes purpose more accessible and actionable for individuals in their daily lives.

"Purpose is this self-defining, self-informative life aim that gives you a direction towards engagement in life from one day to the next, one year to the next throughout the lifespan."

The Three A's of Purpose

Hill introduces the concept of purpose being adaptable, accessible, and actionable:

• Adaptable: Purpose should evolve with an individual's life circumstances.

• Accessible: It should be attainable for everyone, not just a privileged few.

• Actionable: Purpose should guide daily decisions and behaviors.

This framework helps demystify purpose and makes it more approachable for individuals who might feel overwhelmed by traditional, lofty notions of purpose.

Challenges and Considerations

One significant challenge Hill addresses is "purpose anxiety" - the stress and pressure individuals feel when asked to define their life's purpose. This anxiety can be particularly prevalent in workplace settings where employees are asked to align with organizational purpose statements.

Hill suggests that instead of focusing on grand, overarching purposes, individuals and organizations should concentrate on identifying smaller, more immediate sources of meaning and direction. This approach can help alleviate anxiety and make purpose more accessible to everyone.

Hill's Model: Sense of Purpose

Dr. Hill's research emphasizes the importance of fostering a "sense of purpose" rather than identifying a single, grand purpose. This model focuses on:

1. Feeling a sense of direction

2. Having goals that provide personal definition

3. Engaging in activities that energize and feel meaningful

This approach has been linked to various positive outcomes, including reduced risk of cognitive impairment, lower mortality rates, and improved well-being.

Practical Applications and Implications

For individuals:

1. Reflect on daily activities that provide a sense of direction and energy

2. Engage in dialogue about purpose with peers and colleagues

3. Focus on building a sense of purpose rather than defining a single, grand purpose

For organizations:

1. Foster environments where employees can discuss and explore purpose

2. Break down organizational purpose into specific, actionable activities

3. Allow for individual interpretation and alignment with organizational purpose

Hill emphasizes the importance of dialogue in exploring purpose:

"The most important thing for the purpose anxiety is having the scaffolding and the social connections along the way to help you explore."

Conclusion

Patrick Hill's research offers a refreshing and practical approach to understanding purpose in our lives and work. By reframing purpose as something adaptable, accessible, and actionable, Hill provides a pathway for individuals and organizations to cultivate meaningful engagement without the anxiety often associated with grand purpose statements.

As we navigate the complexities of modern work life, this nuanced understanding of purpose can help foster environments where individuals can thrive, find direction, and contribute meaningfully - not just to their organizations but to their own sense of fulfillment and well-being.

Resources for Further Exploration

• PATH Lab website at Washington University: [https://www.pathlabwustl.com/]

• Dr. Hill's research publications: [https://psych.wustl.edu/people/patrick-hill]

Balancing Passion and Boundaries: Lessons from Frank Martela

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, host Andrew engages in an insightful conversation with Frank Martela, PhD about the nature of meaningful work, the dimensions of well-being, and the interconnections between sustainability and human thriving.

Dr. Martela is an Assistant Professor at Aalto University, Finland, with dual doctorates in organizational research and practical philosophy. His work focuses on meaningfulness, human motivation, and how organizations can unleash human potential. A renowned expert on meaning and happiness, his research seeks to understand the fundamentals of happiness, meaningfulness, and the good life.

Defining Meaningful Work

Martela begins by discussing his influential research on defining meaningful work. He explains that meaningful work generally refers to work that has intrinsic value beyond just financial compensation.

Through a comprehensive review of existing literature, Martela and his colleagues identified three key dimensions of meaningful work: overall significance, self-realization, and broader purpose.

Overall significance refers to the sense that work is worthwhile and valuable in itself.

Self-realization involves the ability to express oneself and engage in activities aligned with one's interests and values.

Broader purpose encompasses the feeling of contributing to something beyond oneself and having a positive impact on others or society.

Martela emphasizes that meaningful work involves both a connection to oneself and a connection to others or the wider world. This conceptualization provides a useful framework for understanding and fostering meaningfulness in various work contexts.

The Relationship Between Meaning and Purpose

An interesting discussion unfolds about the relationship between meaning and purpose, two concepts that are often intertwined in research and popular discourse.

Martela offers a nuanced perspective, suggesting that meaning is a broader concept encompassing all things that make life or work feel valuable, while purpose is more future-oriented, involving goals and projects that contribute to meaning. He notes that while purpose is often a key source of meaning, meaningful experiences can occur without explicit purpose, such as enjoying time with friends.

This distinction helps clarify the roles of meaning and purpose in both work and life contexts, highlighting the importance of considering both in efforts to enhance well-being and fulfillment.

The Dark Side of Meaningful Work

While meaningful work is generally associated with positive outcomes, Martela acknowledges potential downsides. He points out that people who find their work highly meaningful may be more susceptible to exploitation or overwork. Additionally, strong dedication to meaningful work might lead to neglecting other important life domains, resulting in work-life imbalance.

These insights underscore the importance of maintaining balance and boundaries, even when engaged in deeply meaningful work.

A New Model of Well-being

Martela introduces his innovative model of well-being, which is grounded in human needs and nature. The model consists of four dimensions:

• Having: Meeting basic physical and safety needs.

• Loving: Fulfilling social needs and relationships.

• Doing: Engaging in purposeful activities and growth.

• Being: Experiencing positive emotions and life satisfaction.

This framework offers a nuanced approach to understanding and measuring well-being, with potential applications in both policy and organizational contexts.

Applying the Model to Work Contexts

The conversation explores how Martela's well-being model can be applied specifically to work settings.

In the workplace, "having" involves basic safety, security, and fair compensation. "Loving" at work relates to belongingness, community, and supportive relationships. "Doing" encompasses learning, growth, competence, and purposeful impact. "Being" reflects job satisfaction and positive emotional experiences at work.

This application provides a holistic lens for evaluating and enhancing employee well-being across multiple dimensions. Soren and Martela discuss how these concepts can be measured and implemented in organizational settings, highlighting the importance of both comprehensive annual surveys and more frequent, simplified check-ins to gauge employee well-being.

Sustainability and Well-being

The episode concludes with a discussion on the crucial relationship between sustainability and well-being. Martela argues that the ultimate goal of politics and policy should be to promote well-being in a sustainable manner. This involves recognizing environmental limits and planetary boundaries, designing economic and social systems that maximize well-being within these limits, and developing standardized measures for both well-being and environmental impact to inform decision-making.

Martela emphasizes the need for an integrated approach to human flourishing and environmental stewardship, highlighting the importance of long-term thinking in our pursuit of well-being. He suggests that by considering well-being and sustainability together, we can create policies and practices that support human thriving while respecting the constraints of our planet.

Resources for further exploration:

For more information on Frank Martela's work and the topics discussed, listeners are encouraged to explore his website and visit the Aalto University website.