On this episode of The Playbook Podcast, Ken Eslick and Onika Kwatsha cut through the noise and get to the core engine of human drive: the Six Human Needs. Your ability to lead others is a direct reflection of your ability to lead yourself. This discussion is about understanding your subconscious strategy for fulfillment and uncovering the 'why' behind your hardest decisions.

We dive deep into the six needs, which include four needs of the personality and two needs of the spirit. Our goal is to give you the blueprint to align your personal needs with your professional vision so you can stop managing and start leading to your full potential.

We discuss:

• The paradox of Certainty and Uncertainty (or Variety) and how they drive our behavior.
• The tension created when prioritizing needs like Significance and Certainty over Growth or Love and Connection.
• How to differentiate between chasing significance versus genuine contribution.
• Strategies for leaders to approach team dynamics and difficult conversations from a place of Love and Connection.
• The wisdom of Tony Robbins: “The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the amount of uncertainty you can comfortably live with”.

• 00:00-01:49 | Introduction & The Core Problem: Why understanding your core needs is the missing layer in leadership.
• 01:50-04:29 | Defining the Six Needs: Detailed definitions of Certainty, Uncertainty/Variety, Love & Connection, Significance (the four needs of the personality), and Contribution and Growth (the two needs of the spirit).
• 04:30-08:09 | Personal Wiring & Self-Awareness: Ken's experience with top needs of Significance and Certainty and why awareness can lead to quick behavioral change.
• 08:10-14:49 | Significance & Connection in Leadership: The difference between a high need for Significance met through contribution versus destruction. Building a reciprocal work relationship from a place of Love and Connection.
• 14:50-18:09 | Handling Difficult Conversations: Grounding yourself in care and connection when conducting difficult performance discussions.
• 18:10-24:24 | Applying the Needs to Team Coaching: Coaching team members by appealing to their specific needs, such as appealing to Certainty through activity in sales. Blending the needs with behavioral assessments.
• 24:25-28:40 | Focusing on Growth & Top Two Needs: The necessity of Growth and why focusing on the relationship between your two highest needs is the key to aligning your life.
• 28:41-End | Conclusion & Key Quote: Final thoughts on embracing uncertainty.

• Email: ken@theleaderslab.co
• Book a call with us: https://ken-2xppm4iy.scoreapp.com/

Tony Robbins Quote for the Audience:

“The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the amount of uncertainty you can comfortably live with”.

FREE TEST: https://6-human-needs.sfwalker.com/en

#LeadershipDevelopment #HumanNeeds #CoreDrivers #SelfAwareness #TonyRobbins #BusinessLeadership #Entrepreneurship #GrowthMindset #TheLeadersLab #ThePlaybookPodcast #Significance #Contribution

On this episode of The Playbook Podcast, host Ken Eslick is joined by former NFL Linebacker, speaker, and coach, Anthony Trucks.

Anthony Trucks shares the raw, emotional journey from a child in foster care to a professional athlete, detailing the exact internal pivot that changed his trajectory. This conversation is a blueprint for radical ownership, directly addressing the Founders and Enterprise Leaders who feel caught in the "cycle of diminishing returns" and whose companies are overly dependent on them.

Anthony explains why his only belief was in the opposite—the certainty that if he did nothing, he would not be great —and how he channeled that fear into Dark Work. Learn why true self-mastery is about building a "Dominator's Identity" that dominates the weaker version of yourself and how taking ownership ("I am the common denominator in all of my problems" ) is the best gift a leader can receive for achieving maximum valuation and a smooth transition.

• [00:01:00] The early life: From being given away at three years old to enduring abuse and instability in the foster care system.
• [00:08:00] Finding stability and a new identity: The adoption that created the emotional room to pursue something new (football).
• [00:13:00] The Catalyst: The moment a peer rationalized her circumstance and Anthony committed to controlling his own destiny .
• [00:17:00] Defining Motivation: Why the belief in the opposite of what you want is the most powerful anchor against quitting.
• [00:21:00] The Power of "Dark Work": How Anthony's commitment to preparation led to an internal shift—"I have done too much work in the dark to lose in the light".
• [00:23:00] The Dominator’s Identity: Exerting control over the weaker version of yourself to be a better spouse, leader, and person.
• [00:30:00] College, the NFL, and the Fog: Navigating life after football and falling into a dark place.
• [00:33:00] The Ultimate Gift: The realization that "I am the common denominator in all of my problems".
• [00:38:00] What stopped him? The harrowing moment Anthony almost committed suicide, and the strange anchor that brought him home.
• [00:42:00] How to work with Anthony: The Dark Work Experience and the necessity of taking action.

We help you hire the right leaders and build the structure to scale, so the business runs without being dependent on you. Check out our work:

• Website: theleaderslab.co

Ready to stop being dependent on your business and build capacity to scale?

• Book a call with The Leaders Lab: https://ken-2xppm4iy.scoreapp.com/

#AnthonyTrucks #DarkWork #IdentityShift #LeadershipDevelopment #FounderLife #ScalingUp #CEO #BusinessGrowth #Ownership #ThePlaybookPodcast

Most founders can track their customer acquisition cost down to the penny, yet when it comes to their most expensive asset—their people—they rely on "bad luck" or "personality conflicts" to explain performance issues.

In this episode, Ken Eslick and Onika Kwatsha pull back the curtain on TeamCompass, a proprietary diagnostic tool designed to replace hiring guesswork with actionable data. Ken discusses why relying solely on behavioral assessments or KPIs creates a blind spot in your leadership and how blending them creates "radical self-awareness" for your organization.

If you are trapped in the weeds of your business and looking to build the structure necessary to eventually scale and sell, this episode provides the data-driven roadmap you need to put the right people in the right seats.

• [00:00:00] The Leadership Blind Spot: The disconnect between behavioral assessments and real-world performance.
• [00:00:45] The Financial Paradox: Why leaders track financial data to the penny but accept "bad luck" when it comes to people .
• [00:02:55] The "Gut Instinct" Trap: Why you can't rely on intuition alone, and the danger of the "ambitious introvert" in sales.
• [00:04:30] The "Mini-Me" Bias: Why we naturally hire people who remind us of ourselves and how it hurts the business .
• [00:07:35] Why DISC Wins: Why Ken prefers the 4-quadrant DISC model over Myers-Briggs (16 types) for team analysis.
• [00:09:20] Warning Signs: How to tell if your team dynamics are broken (turnover, morale, and getting blindsided).
• [00:11:30] The Workflow: How a simple 15-minute administrative input generates a comprehensive leadership action plan.
• [00:13:50] Beyond the Algorithm: Why Human + AI analysis is critical for context.
• [00:15:40] Future Hiring: How to use data to ensure you never make a bad hire again.
• [00:16:40] The Investment: Pricing details and how new clients can credit the cost back to their first placement.
• [00:17:50] The 30-Day Result: Moving from friction to flow—what happens after you implement TeamCompass.

"You don't accept bad luck in your financials. So why do we accept it with our most expensive asset, our people?" — Ken Eslick

"We connect the easiest... with people that are wired the same way we are... doesn't even necessarily mean they're the best person for the job." — Ken Eslick

"Radical self-awareness is... the definition of development or evolution as a leader." — Ken Eslick

This episode introduces TeamCompass, a product born from Ken's 30+ years of leadership experience.

• The Goal: Move your team forward faster by replacing guesswork with real-life data.
• The Methodology: Combines leader input, KPI performance ratings, and DISC assessments to identify synergies and friction points .
• The Output: A 10-page comprehensive report on communication styles, potential mismatches, and specific profiles to target for future hires.
• Investment: Complimentary for existing clients. For non-clients, the $2,000 investment is fully credited against your first placement with the firm.

Learn more about the tool here: 👉 https://www.theleaderslab.co/teamcompass

Are you ready to stop being the bottleneck in your business? At The Leaders Lab, we help you hire the right leaders, scale your operations, and eventually sell for maximum valuation.

Book a Discovery Call to Get Started: 👉 https://ken-2xppm4iy.scoreapp.com/

In this essential episode, Ken sits down with author and talent development expert Andy Storch to tackle the cycle of diminishing returns that traps business owners in the day-to-day operations. Andy, who recently relocated his family and business to Barcelona, Spain, discusses how intentional leadership is the only way to build a company that can truly scale without being dependent on you.

You'll discover:

• The Micromanagement Trap: Why the number one complaint about bad leaders is also the primary reason founders can't find a great second-in-command.
• The Ownership Mindset: How to encourage employees to stop drifting by asking them the one scary question that great leaders must ask: "Where do you want to be in five or ten years?".
• Guidance vs. Smothering: Learn the clear line between providing supportive direction and trust-killing micromanagement, and why giving freedom is critical for innovation.
• The Accountability Reset: How to handle a dysfunctional team by having the leader go first—taking self-accountability, admitting mistakes, and committing to better communication and follow-through.

Segments:

04:20 - Why Founders Can't Find a Good Number Two

05:40 - The Micromanagement Trap: The #1 Complaint

07:00 - The Power of Timely Feedback

11:45 - From Drifting to Ownership: Leading with Curiosity

13:30 - The Scary Question Great Leaders Must Ask

17:10 - Guidance vs. Smothering

17:50 - Freedom Enables Innovation

23:55 - Coaching Different Personalities

32:55 - Teaching the Ownership Mindset

37:45 - Self-Reflection to Build Self-Awareness

40:05 - Why the Leader Must Go First

🔗 Connect & Next Steps

If you're ready to stop putting out fires and start working on your business, connect with us!

Ready to find your Number Two? Visit theleaderslab.co to learn how we help you hire the right leaders who fit your culture and drive growth from day one.

Join Ken live! Register for the upcoming webinar, "Understanding the Power of DISC," to learn how to lead and coach every personality type on your team: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7388918729037807616/?originTrackingId=D9NFDWkqTFS2zdiN8UGUxw%3D%3D

#Leadership #FounderLife #ScaleUp #TalentDevelopment #SuccessionPlanning #ThePlaybookPodcast

In the fiercely competitive "war for top talent," many founders are losing before the battle even begins because their interview process exposes a fatal flaw in their business. The truth is, the hiring system acts as a mirror. What it reflects back to a top candidate is a precise preview of what working for your company—and working for you—will truly be like. If your process is plagued by time delays, poor communication, or a lack of clear vision, you're not just annoying candidates; you're showing them a business destined for internal chaos and slow growth.

This isn't about finding the perfect script; it's about operational discipline and leadership involvement. We dive into why the repeated lack of respect for a candidate's time is a non-negotiable red flag. We discuss the critical importance of a company's vision being clearly articulated to candidates and authentically lived out internally. Crucially, you'll learn why consistent communication , even if it's just a 30-second update , is the single most important factor for fostering hope and optimism—and preventing a potentially great candidate from becoming angry and resentful before their first interview.

We challenge leaders to audit their process by tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) like the time it takes to contact an applicant —a process that should happen within three days. Furthermore, we stress that ownership of the candidate experience must start at the highest levels; the hiring manager or VP should be creating, monitoring, and actively involved in the system. Listen now to learn how to transform your hiring system from a liability into your most powerful tool for attracting and closing elite talent.

Segments/Timestamps:

[00:00] Intro: The War for Top Talent & The Interview Mirror

[00:52] The Mirror Effect: What Your Hiring Process Truly Reveals

[02:18] Hiring Manager Ownership & The Reflection of Leadership

[02:58] Beyond the Mission: Articulating the Employee Vision

[03:55] The 'Elevator Pitch' for Candidates (aka Social Pitch)

[04:58] Internal Alignment: Why You Must Live the Vision You Sell

[07:00] Red Flags: The Non-Negotiables for Candidates (Repeated Disrespect for Time)

[09:20] Communication is King: Why an Update is Better Than Silence

[10:50] The Candidate Emotional Cycle: From Hope to Anger

[13:00] The Danger of Bad Experiences & Glassdoor Reviews

[14:30] Auditing Your Process: Using KPIs in Hiring (The 3-Day Rule)

[18:25] Creating Your Own Competition: Losing Passive Candidates

👉 Register for the FREE DISC Webinar here : 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/events/understandingthepowerofdisc7388918729037807616/

🎧 Want a sneak peek before the session? Listen to this episode of The Playbook Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-truth-about-disc-how-to-hire-lead-and/id1843108230?i=1000733699392

#TalentAcquisition #HiringProcess #LeadershipDevelopment #RecruitingStrategy #OperationalDiscipline

Most leaders use DISC as a personality test. But what if you’re missing its real power? In this episode, Ken Eslick and Onika Kwatsha reveal how the DISC assessment can become your secret weapon for building stronger teams, improving communication, and leading with precision.

Forget surface-level labels—this conversation dives deep into what each style (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness) actually looks like in the real world. You’ll learn how to spot DISC traits in interviews, how to structure teams for harmony and results, and how to coach people in ways that unlock their true potential.

Ken shares how decades of using DISC across leadership, recruiting, and personal growth have shaped his approach to hiring and team performance—and Onika brings her own insights as both a leader and practitioner who’s lived the DISC experience firsthand.

Whether you’re leading a startup, managing a growing team, or simply trying to understand what makes people tick, this episode will help you see beyond personality and start leading with clarity, empathy, and intentionality.

00:00 – 02:00 | Why DISC still matters in modern leadership 02:00 – 10:00 | The four core styles (D, I, S, C) and what drives each 10:00 – 25:00 | How to read DISC profiles during hiring and interviews 25:00 – 40:00 | Leadership blind spots and adapting your communication style 40:00 – 54:00 | Using DISC to coach, retain, and develop top talent

✅ Take your free DISC assessment here: https://psycho-tests.com/test/disc-assessment

📅 Join our free live webinar on November 12 at 2 PM EST

#LeadershipDevelopment #DISCProfile #HiringStrategy #TeamDynamics #TheLeadersLab #ExecutiveCoaching #PeoplePerformance #SelfAwareness #CommunicationSkills #WorkplaceCulture

In this episode, strategist and author Jonathan Bennett—advisor to CEOs, boards, and founders—breaks down exactly how and when to stand up an advisory board, why founders should hire a chair first, and how structure and accountability pull leaders out of isolation. The conversation covers paid vs. unpaid advisors, what to do when disagreements arise, and how quarterly decks become an early-warning system for both risk and opportunity.

You will hear a live case study on a $5M trades business planning a future exit, learn the baseline systems and KPIs required before a board can help, and understand how a skilled chair’s network can fill functional gaps, recruit leaders, and prep a company for sale. Jonathan also opens the curtain on his “portfolio life,” the realities of CEO coaching, and a behind-the-scenes advisory series where listeners can eavesdrop on real-world boardroom conversations.

Don’t miss this conversation between Ken Eslick and Jonathan Bennett!

Looking for your next leader? Contact us: ken@theleaderslab.co or take the Free ScaleUp Leadership Survey at theleaderslab.co

00:00 – Welcome & Why Boards Belong in Your Playbook (guest intro + pillars: Hire, Scale, Sell) 01:02 – Jonathan’s First Board Seat: governance by immersion and what stuck 03:12 – Feeling Alone as a Founder? Build “Scaffolding”: mentors vs. coaches vs. advisory boards 05:04 – Making It Real: 4 handpicked advisors, quarterly packs, brutal questions, accountability 07:28 – How to Get on (and Build) Boards: why young leaders should join one 10:01 – When to Form an Advisory Board—and What to Pay: from bootstrap to $20M+ examples 12:10 – The Better Model: Hire the Chair First and let the chair recruit for blind spots 14:15 – Recruiting Your Board Like a Pro: use a formal search (yes, a recruiter) and interviews 16:22 – Cadence & Consequences: quarterly rhythm, ad-hoc in crises, and what if you ignore advice? 18:45 – Virtual vs. In-Person: Zoom practicality vs. the magic of dinner + a full-day board 21:02 – Case Study: $5M HVAC/Plumbing Owner Eyeing an Exit—the chair’s profile and board mix 24:55 – Before the Board Helps, Fix the Foundation: KPIs, finance hygiene, and leveraging the board’s network 28:42 – Inside Jonathan’s Portfolio Week: four boards, executive advising, and selective consulting 30:58 – Coaching vs. Advising: decision-making, tough HR calls, and “sometimes just give the answer” 33:10 – Deep Listening & ‘Clearly Then’: why presence matters and where to hear real sessions

#ThePlaybookPodcast #AdvisoryBoard #FounderToCEO #ScaleToSell #LeadershipPlaybook

Stop trying to be indispensable—the business grows the moment you aren’t.

You don’t scale by doing more—you scale by replacing yourself in the right seats. In this episode, Onika and I unpack the uncomfortable shift from “I do everything” to “I build the team that does everything,” including the identity and ego traps that keep smart leaders stuck.

We walk through the practical side: how to decide who should take the wheel (sales, ops, GM), how to define the bullseye profile beyond a generic job description, and how to run a fast—but not sloppy—process that candidates actually enjoy. We also get tactical on onboarding cadence, 30/60/90s, and the difference between owning the process vs. trying to be in every interview. If you want to move up a level, your job is to multiply leadership—starting now.

Segments:

00:00 — Why you can’t grow until you replace yourself

02:05 — My early lesson: doing it all vs. building a team

03:45 — Identity & ego: the hidden throttle on scale

05:10 — Trusting others and becoming a “master delegator”

05:55 — Delegating budgets: why section leads beat heroics

06:55 — Succession planning as important as the financial plan

08:15 — Beyond generic JDs: aim for the bullseye avatar

10:55 — Pitch your company to candidates like a product

13:30 — Hiring ≠ delegation; hiring = leadership multiplier

15:20 — Proactive vs. reactive hiring (and the “beer goggles” trap)

19:05 — Speed with respect: candidate communication that wins

25:10 — Onboarding cadence and 30/60/90s that set people up to win

29:10 — The personnel-file wake-up call: feedback must match decisions

34:05 — Hard truth: no one is indispensable—build leaders or plateau

36:05 — The promotion unlock: develop leaders at every level

Looking for your next leader? Contact us: ken@theleaderslab.co or take the Free ScaleUp Leadership Survey at theleaderslab.co

#Leadership #SuccessionPlanning #Hiring #ScalingUp #TalentAcquisition