In this episode of The Playbook Podcast, Ken Eslick and Onika Kwatsha are rejoined by executive coach and performance expert Rich Waterman to unpack State, Story, and Strategy - the foundational framework for peak execution.

Many leaders believe they have a strategy problem when, in reality, they have a state problem. Even the most flawless business plan will fail if executed from a poor emotional state or supported by self-sabotaging narrative loops. Drawing from their shared background in Tony Robbins’ organization, Ken and Rich break down how to self-regulate emotional states when working remotely, leverage physical and auditory triggers to alter your mindset, and use the "state-first" sequence to drive high-performance results across your team.

• State Precedes Execution: A great strategy cannot overcome a depleted or reactive emotional state. High performance begins with managing your internal state, which unlocks supportive stories and enables clear execution.
• Shift Mindset via the Triad: You can deliberately alter a poor emotional state by adjusting your physiology (movement and breathing), focus, and internal or external language.
• Design "Catalyst Behaviors": Establish structured morning and evening routines—using music, brisk movement, or strategic prep work—to set a baseline emotional state before tackling demanding tasks like cold calling.
• Lead with Empathy and Intuition: Leaders should actively monitor non-verbal physical and vocal cues in team members (such as slouched posture or changes in tone) to proactively support them before performance drops.
• Own Your Outcomes: Blaming external circumstances or poor tools temporarily protects the ego, but taking full ownership of your state, story, and strategy gives you total control to change your results.

• 00:00 – Introduction: Strategy Problem vs. State Problem
• 02:00 – Explaining the Triad: Why Emotional State Dictates Execution
• 04:45 – Self-Regulation for Remote Leaders: Controlling Your Mindset Alone
• 06:00 – Changing Your Triad: Leveraging Physiology, Focus, and Language
• 07:30 – Building an Emotional Playbook for Difficult Tasks
• 09:30 – Aligning Daily Schedules with Peak Energy Windows
• 11:30 – Catalyst Behaviors: Using Morning/Evening Routines and Prep Work
• 14:00 – The Feedback Loop: How Strategy and State Reinforce Each Other
• 15:30 – Identifying State Shifts and Non-Verbal Cues in Team Members
• 18:00 – Physicality Tricks: Resetting Your Body Like an Athlete
• 20:30 – Case Study: How One Feedback Session Triggered Three Unique State Responses
• 23:30 – The Power of Ownership: Overcoming the Victim Mindset

• Rich Waterman’s Website: https://richwaterman.com/
• Rich Waterman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwaterman/
• Ken Eslick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keneslick/
• The Leaders Lab Website: https://theleaderslab.co

At The Leaders Lab, we help organizations improve hiring, leadership, communication, and team performance by understanding the human behaviors and belief systems that drive success. From behavioral assessments and executive coaching to hiring strategy and culture development, we help companies make smarter people decisions with greater clarity and confidence.

• 🤝 Work with Us: https://calendly.com/theleaderslab/meeting

#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #StateStoryStrategy #RichWaterman #ExecutiveCoaching #PeakPerformance #WorkplaceCulture #TheLeadersLab