EP164 - Leaders Fail When They Demand Value Before Giving It with Zach Mercurio
In this episode, Tyler Dickerhoof chats with Zach Mercurio, an expert in purposeful leadership and meaningful work. Zach shares his journey from the world of corporate sales to becoming a research fellow at Colorado State University, where he studies the intersection of purpose and human flourishing. We dive deep into the concept of mattering and explore why creating environments where people feel valued is the cornerstone of effective leadership.
Zach reveals the powerful impact of positive psychology in the workplace and challenges the traditional transactional approach to leadership. He discusses how leaders can shift their focus from extracting value to creating value by recognizing the inherent worth of each team member.
Meet Zach Mercurio
Zach is an author, researcher, speaker, and consultant specializing in purposeful leadership, mattering, meaningful work, and positive organizational psychology. He wrote The Invisible Leader: Transform Your Life, Work, and Organization with the Power of Authentic Purpose. His forthcoming book, The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance, will be released by Harvard Business Review Press in 2025. He works with hundreds of companies, governments, and schools around the world to forge purposeful leaders and cultivate positive cultures that enable more mattering, motivation, well-being, and performance. Zach is also one of Simon Sinek’s “Optimist Instructors.”
Zach earned his Ph.D. in Organizational Learning, Performance, and Change from Colorado State University and his research has been awarded by The Academy of Management, the Association for Talent Development, and The Association for Human Resource Development
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
00:00 Intro
01:41 The Invisible Leader
04:37 Focusing on the positive psychology
08:38 How positive energy impacts us
11:40 Positive vs. Traditional Psychology
14:24 Fixing problems and focusing on what works
20:04 Why feeling valued fuels team success
22:26 Integrating care and mattering into organizational culture
26:30 The challenge of measuring intangible leadership indicators
30:00 Where should leadership education start?
34:52 Returning to our human core
37:35 The power of collective effort in overcoming challenges
39:20 Incorporating purpose and mattering into daily life
Resources, books, and links mentioned in this episode:
Connect with Zach:
https://twitter.com/ZachMercurio
https://www.instagram.com/zachmercurio/
https://www.facebook.com/ZMercurio/
http://www.linkedin.com/in/zachmercurio
Where to find Tyler:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerdickerhoof
https://www.instagram.com/tyler_dickerhoof/
https://www.youtube.com/@impactdrivenleader/
https://twitter.com/ImpactDLeader
About the Impact Driven Leader Podcast
The Impact Driven Leader Podcast, hosted by Tyler Dickerhoof, is for Xillennial leaders who have felt alone and ill-equipped to lead in today's world. Through inspiring interviews with authors from around the world, Tyler uncovers how unique leadership strengths can empower others to achieve so much more, with real impact.
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