Now accepting applications for a limited number of spaces. Deadline to apply is June 5, 2026. 

Join us for a valuable day of learning and networking at the OAMRS 2026 Leadership Development Day.

Once you have registered, please send a copy of your résumé to [email protected]. Only those who submit their résumé with their registration will be considered to attend. 

The Power of Mattering: How Leaders Can Create a Culture of Significance - with McMaster University-DeGroote School of Business Program Faculty, Mark John Stewart and Margaret Zanel

This course presents the foundational leadership principle of “mattering” — the idea that people thrive when they feel seen, valued, and needed. Drawing from Zach Mercurio’s research and insights in The Power of Mattering, the session explores how a sense of significance contributes to employee engagement, mental well-being, and performance. The course equips emerging leaders with the tools to intentionally embed mattering into everyday interactions, team dynamics, and organizational culture.

Participants will explore practical frameworks such as the Mattering Map, the Daily Mattering Practice, and the Mattering Audit to assess and improve how they lead. Through reflective exercises and scenario-based learning, participants will gain strategies to build trust, recognize others with impact, and foster a more inclusive, purpose-driven culture.

Why participate in this course:

• Learn how the science of mattering connects to employee motivation, retention, and psychological safety.
• Understand the tangible leadership behaviours that make others feel seen, valued, and needed.
• Build leadership capacity through actions that cultivate belonging and purpose.
• Equip yourself with practical frameworks to assess and improve your team’s culture of mattering.
• Learn how to use recognition and communication to strengthen engagement and well-being.

By the end of this workshop, participants will:

• Understand the core elements of mattering (being seen, valued, and needed) and why they are essential in today’s workplace.
• Explore the Mattering Map and identify practical opportunities to apply it in their leadership.
• Learn how to implement the Daily Mattering Practice to build team morale and performance.
• Conduct a self-assessment using the Mattering Audit to identify strengths and growth areas in their leadership.
• Practice skills in specific, values-based recognition and purpose-driven communication.

Who should attend:

MRT and DMS managers and supervisors who want to foster a culture of mattering in their workplace. This course is designed for MRTs and DMSs who are looking to develop how they professionally connect with people on the full spectrum of human experience.

Margaret Zanel, MBA, ICD.D
Partner, Strategy and Leadership, Wentworth Strategy Group
Instructor, DeGroote School of Business, Executive Education, McMaster University

About Margaret Zanel

Margaret Zanel is a seasoned board member and expert in strategy and leadership with over 30 years of executive experience across Fortune 100 companies, start-ups, and private equity ventures across North America. She currently serves as a Partner in Strategy and Leadership at Wentworth Strategy Group, where she provides expert advice to boards, CEOs, and leadership teams, focusing on growth, sustainability, and long-term success.

Margaret holds significant leadership roles in academia and the nonprofit sector. She is a member of McMaster University’s Senate and its Executive Committee and Vice-President of the McMaster Alumni Association’s Board of Directors. In the nonprofit realm, Margaret is a member of the Board of Directors of Achev, a leading organization supporting newcomers to Canada, where she chairs the Strategic and Risk Management Committee and the Ad hoc Mergers & Acquisitions Committee. Her previous governance experience includes advisory roles with Canadian women-owned start-ups in ride-hailing services and bio-conservation technology and serving as a subsidiary board member for Xerox Canada Ltd.

Academically, Margaret contributes as an instructor with the DeGroote School of Business Executive Education program, where she teaches courses on strategy, governance and equity, diversity, and inclusion. She is also a lead facilitator for the World Trade Centre's Trade Accelerator Program (TAP).

As a public speaker, Margaret presents to diverse audiences on strategy, governance, leadership and career advancement and appreciates being recognized by Rotary International and the McMaster Alumni Association for leadership contributions.

Margaret was honoured as one of Diversity MBA Magazine's "Top 50 over 50” and "Top 100 Women of Influence." Margaret holds an MBA in International Business from McMaster University and an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

Mark John Stewart, MBA, ICD.D
Managing Director, Wentworth Strategy Group
Industry Professor, McMaster University

About Mark John Stewart

 Mark John Stewart, MBA, ICD.D, is Managing Director of Wentworth Strategy Group, where he leads a team of senior consultants providing strategic advice and execution support to CEOs, boards, and senior leaders across Canada and internationally. He is member of the Board of Directors of the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority and has served as Chair of Canadian charity Empowerment Squared, Chair of the Bay Area Health Trust, and Co-Chair of the City of Hamilton Mayor’s Task Force on Transparency, Access and Accountability. He is also President of marketing agency FlyPrint, which has supported the community since 2007.

An Industry Professor with McMaster University’s Master of Communications Management program, Mark also teaches in executive education at the DeGroote School of Business and has served the university as President of the McMaster Alumni Association and as a member of the Board of Governors. He holds an MBA from the DeGroote School of Business and the ICD.D designation from the Rotman School of Management’s Institute for Corporate Directors, and has completed executive studies at Harvard Business School.

A sought-after thought leader, Mark presents on strategy, governance, leadership, and entrepreneurship. His leadership has been recognized by CBC, Rotary International, the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, and the McMaster Alumni Association. He has received the King Charles III Coronation Medal and has been named to the Order of Hamilton.