Mattering

 CONTRIBUTION

Do I matter?

 Mattering – is the experience of feeling significant to those around us because we feel valued and know that we add value.

 It is not a grand gesture that creates this. Mattering happens in everyday moments, in the tone of a conversation, in a glance of recognition, and in the way we’re listened to and responded to.

 For Leaders, this means TRULY seeing and hearing the people you lead. Not just as employees, but as individuals whose contributions shape the culture and outcome of the organization

 SEEING – acknowledging them and paying attention to the details, ebbs, and flows of their life and work.

 HEARING – showing a genuine curiosity abouts someone’s thoughts, ideas, and challenges and responding in a way that creates trust and psychological safety.

 When people feel seen and heard, they feel that they matter. And when they matter, they give more of their best selves to the work, to the team, and to the mission.

People rise when they feel seen, believed in and backed.

The Unsung Engine

After years of caring for his aging father, Marco found himself searching for purpose—and a paycheck. He took a job as a detailer, not realizing just how vital he would become to the heartbeat of the store.

From the outside, it looked simple—washing, vacuuming, wiping down vehicles. But on the inside, Marco quickly learned something: everyone depended on him.

The service team needed clean, polished cars ready for pickup—customers didn’t consider the job “done” until they saw their vehicle sparkling.

The sales team needed cars prepped to perfection—deliveries couldn’t go out, photos couldn’t be taken, and deals couldn’t close without his final touch.

The pressure was real. The pace was fast. And yet, some days, Marco still found himself battling a quiet doubt: I wish I were doing something more important.

    Am I just the guy who cleans up after everyone else?

One afternoon, his manager caught him between vehicles and said:

“Marco, you’re not just detailing cars. You’re keeping the whole operation moving. When service finishes a repair, you’re the one who completes the experience. When sales makes a promise to a customer, you’re the one who brings it to life. We can’t deliver without you. You’re the closer.”

That was the moment it clicked.

Marco began to see himself not as support—but as essential. His hands helped finish stories: the relief of a repaired vehicle, the joy of a new delivery, the trust that a customer feels when everything looks just right.

He wasn’t in the background. He was in the flow. 

And the dealership? It didn’t run around him—it ran with him.