Research on anti-mattering continues to grow. For far too many people, anti-mattering experiences represent a social barrier cemented in unfairness & inequity. The Anti-Mattering Scale (at the link) assesses the felt experience of that kind of mistreatment journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/07…

Here’s a good rule for every leader: always assume the people around you feel unseen, undervalued, and lonely-and act accordingly. Zach Mercurio excellent read and inspired to dive back into doctoral work today because of this!

Want #students to show up and pay attention in #class? Let them know their presence matters. It’s simple advice—but in the latest article for Inspiring Minds, Zach Mercurio, a Colorado State University instructor, shares just how effective it can be: hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-mind…

Someone's worth isn’t defined by others. But it can be strengthened (or shattered) by them.

Achieve results, and people will admire you. Be kind, and they'll never forget you.

Leaders who can't connect with people often try to control them. You can't lead someone you don't understand. You can't understand someone you don't take time to connect with. Control may be a shortcut in the short term, but it fails in the long term.

What a great piece on the power (and criticality) of mattering at work in Forbes by Rebecca Fraser-Thill. Nice distinctions between mattering, self-esteem, and belonging. Thank you for the feature! #mattering forbes.com/sites/rebeccaf…

Glad to contribute a chapter on mattering to Harvard Business Review's new guide on retaining your best people. A leader’s scarcest resource is attention. Too often, it’s spent trying to “fix what’s wrong” instead of noticing and affirming what’s right. Get yours: store.hbr.org/product/hbr-gu…

"𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠" 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐬. Coaches: when players feel they matter, they feel seen, important & needed through how others treat them. Scholars have deemed mattering to be a

The critical difference between "being listened to" and feeling heard:

“It’s hard for people to care if they don’t first feel cared for.” #Students do better in #class when their #instructors let them know their presence matters, writes Colorado State University's Zach Mercurio. Read more for 3 ways to help students feel noticed: hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-mind…

Leaders who don't build trust through understanding often compensate by wielding power through fear.

You can’t delegate, automate, or replicate trust. It’s built relationship-by-relationship. Learn why the ability to build trusting human relationships will be the most in-demand skill in the age of AI in my August newsletter: mailchi.mp/zachmercurio/t…

An article about our new mattering study. They note "What distinguishes this study is its cross-sectional design encompassing primary, middle, high school, & university populations. This breadth allows for comparative insights across developmental stages." scienmag.com/mattering-meas…

We aren't facing a "disengagement crisis" or "loneliness epidemic," we're facing a mattering deficit. Learn more about the power of mattering in my Harvard Business Review article: hbr.org/2025/05/the-po… #mattering