Mattering Matters: Why Shaping Meaningful Moments is a Leadership Imperative
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“I joined a new role full of hope. Two weeks in, I discovered the company was being acquired — everything changed. I felt misled, deceived… and I chose to leave."
This story, shared by Make It Human founder Sarah McLellan in our latest Coffee & Culture session, is more than just a personal anecdote. It’s a powerful reminder that people don’t leave jobs — they leave feelings. A single moment can either cement trust or shatter it.
We’re living in a time where employees are quietly fading out. The data is stark:
🧍 30% of people say they feel invisible at work
🙁 65% feel under-appreciated
💔 82% report feeling lonely
These aren’t just statistics. They’re flashing red lights for leaders.
If we want cultures where people (and business) thrive, we must start by shaping moments that matter — intentionally, consistently, and personally.
So, what does it actually mean to make people feel they matter?
Zach Mercurio, via the Eat Sleep Work Repeat podcast, defines mattering as a simple equation:
I feel I matter when I am:
Noticed – You see me. You say my name. You make eye contact, even over Zoom.
Affirmed – You value me for who I am, not just the KPIs I deliver.
Needed – You help me see the impact of what I do — on customers, colleagues, the world.
These aren’t fluffy extras. They’re foundational to engagement, retention, innovation, and sustainable performance. The absence of mattering is a silent culture killer.
Micro-actions shape macro-culture
Think about your day: What’s one moment you made someone feel they truly mattered?
If you're struggling to answer, you're not alone. But that's exactly the opportunity. Simple actions — a thank you that names the why, asking how someone really is (and pausing to listen), spotlighting effort not just outcomes — these rewire teams.
And then there are the big moments:
✨ First days. Career transitions. Life changes. Restructures. Success celebrations.
These are culture-defining flashpoints. They shape whether someone feels a sense of belonging or disconnect.
We’ve mapped these out in our Moments That Matter framework — a resource now available in our Culture Resource Library for Make It Human Club members (join for FREE!)
Want to take action?
✅ Download our Mattering at Work guide — packed with practical ideas to embed this into your team’s everyday rhythm. Access it here
✅Purposefully shape moments that matter. Gather leaders, managers and teams and proactively map out the stages, phases and moments that really count. How do you want people to feel? What actions will help enable this?
💡Building cultures where people matter is a wise move. When people feel they matter, they engage, give more, share ideas and this oils the cogs in a thriving, productive and growing organisation.
Because in the end, people don’t just want to succeed at work. They want to matter.
Let’s make sure they do.
Join us next time for How to Win Stakeholder Support for Culture Initiatives — a session designed to help you move culture work from “nice to have” to non-negotiable.
Join the Make It Human Club and access invites to our Coffee & Culture sessions and culture resource library, for FREE!
