From “I’m Not Important” to “I’m Contributing to Something Important”

In his book, Think Again, organizational psychologist Adam Grant challenges us to re-examine our assumptions and approaches to work and life. One particular line from the book keeps circling in my mind. In talking about careers, happiness, and self-esteem, Grant observes a pattern:

“When my students talk about the evolution of self-esteem in their careers, the progression often goes something like this:

  • Phase 1: I’m not important
  • Phase 2: I’m important
  • Phase 3: I want to contribute to something important

I’ve noticed that the sooner they get to phase 3, the more impact they have and the more happiness they experience. It’s left me thinking about happiness less as a goal and more as a by-product of mastery and meaning.”

That observation struck me. It’s a clear roadmap–not just for individual growth, but for leadership. Because here’s the question: as leaders, how do we help our people progress through those phases? How do we guide them from feeling invisible, to valued, to truly making a difference?

This progression isn’t just about individual happiness. It’s about team culture, commitment, and collective performance. Leaders have a responsibility to shape that journey. Let’s break it down into two steps.

Step 1: From “Not Important” to “Important”

It’s surprisingly easy for people to feel unimportant at work. Unless you’re sitting in the corner office or holding a high-profile role, it’s common to feel like a small, replaceable cog in a giant machine.

  • “I’m just a warehouse stocker.”
  • “I’m just IT support.”
  • “I’m just customer service.”

That word “just” is a heavy one. It signals invisibility and disconnection. And when people feel unseen or undervalued, their motivation and quality of work plummet.

Leaders can interrupt that cycle by helping people feel important in their roles. Here are three practical ways:

  1. Value the person before the role. People want to be known, not managed. Take the time to learn their story—their family, passions, struggles, and aspirations. Even simply recognizing their birthday can go a long way. A leader who asks, remembers, follows up, and shows up signals that their people are more than job titles. Jess Buchanan, a humanitarian kidnapped by Somali pirates, once said at a conference I attended: “People are working really hard just to show up every day.” Recognition of that effort in our behaviors goes a long way.
  2. Tell the story of their work. Tasks don’t exist in isolation, they ripple outward. A hospital custodian isn’t just cleaning; they’re creating an environment where patients feel safe. A shipping clerk isn’t just boxing products; they’re delivering vital goods to people who depend on them. Leaders should connect the dots between daily work and larger impact. It takes intentional storytelling in meetings, team huddles, or even one-on-one conversations.
  3. Give credit often and quickly. Recognition doesn’t require a grand gesture with some bonus or award ceremony. A handwritten note, a public thank-you, or a few words of appreciation during a team check-in can be powerful. What matters most is sincerity and timeliness.

When leaders do these things consistently, people start to move past “I’m not important” and begin to believe, “I matter here.”

Step 2: From “Important” to “Contributing to Something Important”

But there’s a danger in stopping at “I’m important.” Leaders who see themselves as important without connecting to something larger often slip into ego-driven behaviors that erode trust, culture, and performance. Teams built around self-importance lack resilience and risk cultivating a siloed, competitive atmosphere.

That’s why Grant’s referenced phase 3 matters so much more: helping people not just feel important but see how they contribute to something important. Leaders must create environments where people find meaning beyond themselves.

Here are three ways to do that:

  1. Start with why. Simon Sinek made this phrase famous, but it holds broad and enduring truth. Organizations that articulate and live out a compelling “why” connect daily work to deeper meaning. Leaders can begin during onboarding: ask new employees, “Why do you work?” Share the organization’s purpose. Keep reminding the team of the bigger mission. Culture is built in those small, repeated conversations.
  2. Empower through autonomy and delegation. People don’t find meaning in micromanagement. They find it in ownership. In addition to delegating tasks, try delegating your trust—give people real authority, responsibility, and freedom. This creates space for them to lead in their work. Autonomy fuels engagement, and engagement leads to deeper purpose.
  3. Model what matters. People watch leaders closely. If you show up with energy, optimism, and a clear sense of calling, others will take notice. Be willing to share your “why.” Why do you pour yourself into this work? Why do you care about these people? Leadership by example is often more powerful than leadership by instruction.

By moving people into Grant’s phase 3, leaders help transform jobs into callings. Work becomes more than tasks; it becomes service and impact. And as Adam Grant suggests, happiness follows as a by-product of meaning.

Why This Matters

In the blur of meetings, deadlines, and never-ending tasks, it’s easy for leaders to get distracted. Helping people feel important or find meaning might feel like “soft” work that can wait. But this is the work of leadership.

When people believe they matter and their work contributes to something bigger, they bring more energy, creativity, and commitment. Teams become more cohesive. Organizations grow stronger. And people themselves experience more joy and fulfillment.

Leadership, at its core, is a people business. It’s about human flourishing. It’s about seeing people not as resources to be managed but as lives to be shaped. Just as the leader impacts the team, so the team impacts customers and stakeholders, creating an ever-broadening scope of influence. 

Closing Reflection

I leave you with these two questions:

  • How are you helping others feel important today?
  • And how are you helping them contribute to something important?

The first makes people feel valued. The second gives them purpose. Together, they create not just better employees but better teammates and better human beings.

That’s leadership worth pursuing.

Balancing Stability and Stretch: Lead Your Team’s Routine…Then Its ...

Do People View Your Organization as Just?

12 Things Leaders Should Say More Often

Ready to Create Significant Impacts Through Your Leadership?

Only 48% of employees consider their leaders as intentional and high-quality. Are you part of that minority? We need more intentional leaders. 

Start your journey to becoming an intentional leader by downloading your free guide of the 10 habits of intentional leaders today.

And don't forget about the BONUS 25 practical strategies that you'll get, too!

Get Your FREE Guide