Paul Vicary served for over 35 years in the British Army, including 22 years within UK Special Forces earning a meritorious medal for his service. He has operated in high-pressure environments worldwide, faced adversity head-on, and is one of the few individuals in the World who has walked to both the North and South Poles unsupported. His experiences prepared him for a second multifaceted career as a mental fitness coach, motivational speaker, and Director of a mental health training consultancy company, XCalibrelimited. He is an author, and his book “Plan D”, shares his experience of his North Pole expedition and the lessons that come from it.

Paul's motto: "Do the best I can in everything I do."

Paul's book: "Plan D"

Amazon USA: https://a.co/d/00Waniwy

Amazon UK: https://amzn.eu/d/0f3RES1D

https://paulvicary.com/

https://x-calibremh.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/xcalibrelimited/

https://www.instagram.com/xcalibretreks/

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Sue Williams is one of the world’s most experienced hostage and kidnap negotiators. A former senior detective at New Scotland Yard, she led both the Kidnap Unit and the Hostage Crisis Negotiation Unit, advising UK Prime Ministers and international governments during some of the most complex and sensitive abduction cases of the last three decades.

Her work spans war‑zone kidnaps, maritime piracy, cyber‑extortion, and covert negotiations for high‑profile families.

Today, she teaches negotiation and crisis leadership at Oxford Saïd Business School, and crisis management at Harvard University, and continues to advise global organizations on high‑stakes decision‑making under pressure.

We talk to Sue about her journey into becoming a hostage negotiator, and some of the communication tools she uses to effect successful negotiations: things we can all use in our daily lives.

Active Listening Tool: "MOREPIES"

Minimal encouragers

Open ended questions

Reflecting

Emotion labels

Paraphrasing

"I" messages

Effective pauses

Summary

Pip Decks: "Negotiation Tactics" https://pipdecks.com/products/negotiation-tactics?srsltid=AfmBOooQh5DLM45QlzlsR19IhiSeSuCmc97oXBae0Ub7r5ncXUP727dP

(photograph of Suzanne Williams used with permission by Suzanne Williams)

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Nick Lopez is a professional baseball player for the Texas Tailgaters, competing in the rapidly exploding phenomenon known as Banana Ball—often called the “greatest show in sports”—where he’s established himself as one of the league’s premier hitters. Like Banana Ball, his journey there is anything but typical.

Growing up, he had no collegiate offers out of high school. What he did have was relentless drive and an unshakable belief in his ability. That mindset pushed him to chase opportunity wherever he could find it. Even after a serious injury, he accelerated through the college ranks, ultimately finishing at the University of Kentucky, where he helped lead the program to its first-ever College World Series appearance—and earning himself SEC First Team and All-American honors along the way.

Undrafted in traditional baseball, many would have seen that as the end of the road. Nick saw it as a pivot point. He launched his own business, stayed ready, and ultimately earned his shot in Banana Ball—now performing in front of sold-out crowds of up to 80,000 fans a night.

This is a story of resilience, reinvention, and about creating opportunities, not waiting for them.

The Texas Tailgaters: https://bananaball.com/the-texas-tailgaters/

Nick Lopez: Insta: @dimitri.lopez_

Nick's business: Leisure House

https://leisurehouse.mykajabi.com/

Insta: @theleisureverse

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