Why Great Leaders Make People Feel Like They Matter | Adrian Gostick - EP 785

Today's episode will change the way you think about leadership, recognition, and what people need most to thrive at work.

Do you ever feel like your hard work goes unnoticed?

Have you ever wondered why talented people lose motivation—even in organizations with great pay, benefits, and opportunities?

Or maybe you're a leader who's trying to build a stronger culture but isn't sure why engagement, trust, or morale still feel out of reach.

According to today's guest, the problem isn't a lack of appreciation.

It's that people don't just want to be recognized.

They want to know they matter.

Joining John R. Miles is Adrian Gostick, bestselling author, workplace culture expert, and one of the world's leading researchers on leadership and employee engagement. Drawing on decades of research involving hundreds of thousands of leaders and employees, Adrian reveals why recognition is one of the most powerful—and overlooked—drivers of trust, resilience, innovation, and performance.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why leaders consistently overestimate how appreciated their employees actually feel
• How the "gratitude gap" quietly undermines engagement, trust, and performance
• Why recognition is a fundamental human need—not just a leadership technique
• How uncertainty fuels workplace anxiety and what exceptional leaders do differently
• Why people perform at their best when they know their work truly matters
• The difference between generic praise and meaningful recognition that changes behavior
• How situational leadership helps you bring out the best in every individual
• Why empathy, curiosity, and understanding people's stories have become essential leadership skills
• Practical ways to create a culture where people feel seen, valued, and motivated to contribute
• How leading with gratitude strengthens resilience, retention, innovation, and long-term organizational success

Whether you lead a global organization, a small team, or simply want to become a better colleague, this conversation will change how you think about the people around you—and the impact you have on their lives.

Because the greatest leaders don't simply inspire performance.

They create environments where people know they matter. Limited Time Offers:

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Full Show NotesDownload the Digital Workbook Learn more about Adrian Gostick:

• Website: https://adriangostick.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriangostick/
• X: https://x.com/adriangostick

Pre-Order The Mattering Effect: https://matteringeffect.com/. Take the 90-second diagnostic to see if you're disappearing.

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Connect with John

• Website: https://johnrmiles.com
• Book John to Speak: