Unbound | Conversations Without Limits

With over two decades of negotiation experience, including multinational hostage crises and police operations, Matthias Herter shares the power of communication, team dynamics, and inner strength. He candidly discusses lessons from both triumphs and setbacks, showing how doubt and insecurity can fuel performance and growth.Discover the key skills used by elite negotiators, such as active listening, emotional regulation, and authentic connection – and how these can transform relationships, business, and personal leadership.This episode is essential listening for business leaders, team players, and those navigating high-pressure environments who want to build trust, handle conflict, and lead with integrity. Join us to explore:Inside the mind of a crisis negotiatorTurn fear into peak performanceInside the playbook of winning negotiation teamsOvercoming grief and lossNegotiation skills for everyday successPlease email stephen@liveunbound.com if you have any questions about what we discussed today.Like this show? Please subscribe and leave us a five-star rating and review. It’s a chance to tell us what you love about the show, and it helps others discover it too. Consider leaving your Instagram handle so we can thank you personally, and feel free to follow ours.

Former Gym+Coffee CEO Niall Horgan sits down with Stephen McDonnell to explore the growing importance of mental toughness in sports. Niall shares his insights on how early mental coaching helps young athletes build resilience and teamwork. Tune in to hear how these lessons, learned on the field, have shaped their leadership journeys and why focusing on the journey rather than just trophies leads to lasting success in both sports and business.Listen to the full episode here: https://www.liveunbound.com/podcasts/embracing-the-unknown 

IMD Professor and author of The First 90 Days, Michael Watkins, joins the show to break down what most leaders get wrong during transitions and how to turn change into growth. Learn about his hard-earned lessons on managing identity in upheaval, leading under pressure, and navigating the rise of AI and rapid disruption. We unpack key insights from his latest book, The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking, and why old ideas of high performance don’t hold up. Whether you’re stepping into a new role, coaching through change, or finding your next move, this episode offers tools to move forward with confidence.Join us to explore:Turning disruption into momentumThe six disciplines essential to strategic thinkingReclaim identity and purpose in the AI eraShift from reactivity to responsivenessPlease email stephen@liveunbound.com if you have any questions about what we discussed today.Like this show? Please subscribe and leave us a five-star rating and review. It’s a chance to tell us what you love about the show, and it helps others discover it too. Consider leaving your Instagram handle so we can thank you personally, and feel free to follow ours.

Hostage negotiator, clinical psychologist, and leadership expert, George Kohlrieser, explains the ‘Person Effect’, the emotional impact we have on others through our presence, mostly communicated non-verbally. Some people naturally inspire trust, while others create distance. Find out how effective leadership goes beyond rapport to true emotional bonding, which many avoid due to past pain. When bonding leads to hurt, the brain learns to protect itself by pulling away from connection.Listen to the full episode here: https://www.liveunbound.com/podcasts/31-george-kohlrieser-applying-hostage-negotiation-tactics-in-leadership

In this special episode of Unbound, hurling champions Noel Conners (former Waterford captain) and John “Bubbles” O’Dwyer (Tipperary All-Star) join host Stephen McDonnell (former Cork Captain) as they gear up for this weekend’s All-Ireland senior hurling final.Tune in as they unpack Cork’s explosive form, Tipp’s hunger for an upset, and what it takes for defenders to survive against the country’s sharpest forwards. Who will take home the cup? You’ll want to hear their takes!Join us to explore:Honest predictions: All-Ireland Hurling FinalWhy Waterford’s struggling, Tipp’s rising fastSurviving against the country’s sharpest forwardsWhy Munster matches are a different beastWho will take home the cup?Like this show? Please subscribe and leave us a five-star rating and review. It’s a chance to tell us what you love about the show, and it helps others discover it too. Consider leaving your Instagram handle so we can thank you personally, and feel free to follow ours.

Strengths-based leadership specialist Eline Meijer unpacks how to move beyond "weakness fixing" and use your strengths for ultimate growth.Eline draws on her decade of experience with CliftonStrengths and her background in psychology to demystify how we can thrive by identifying, understanding, and leading with our natural abilities.She reveals why traditional approaches to personal development and performance management often fall short and how applying a strengths-based lens benefits individuals, teams, and organisations.Join us to explore:How to leverage your strengths vs. weaknessesWhere strengths really come fromWhen strengths go too far, and how to balanceUsing your strengths to boost performanceWhen strengths meet smart collaborationPlease email stephen@liveunbound.com if you have any questions about what we discussed today.Like this show? Please subscribe and leave us a five-star rating and review. It’s a chance to tell us what you love about the show, and it helps others discover it too. Consider leaving your Instagram handle so we can thank you personally, and feel free to follow ours.

How do you push through your toughest days when the pressure is on and it feels like everything is going wrong? Eímear Noone, Irish composer and conductor, shares her approach to overcoming personal challenges while maintaining a high level of performance on stage. She reveals the mindset shift that helps her show up for others, even when she's not feeling her best, and how she navigates the balance between self-compassion and the drive to deliver excellence.Listen to the full episode here: https://www.liveunbound.com/podcasts/28-eimear-noone-irish-culture-mindset-breaking-barriers

Science journalist Alex Hutchinson explores risk, reinvention, and what drives us to seek the unknown – in sport, life, and beyond.With a rare mix of elite athletic experience and academic insight, Alex unpacks what drives high performers to grow, adapt, and keep going, especially when the path ahead isn’t clear.Whether you’re an athlete, a leader, or standing at a personal crossroads, this conversation will hit home. We explore how to navigate transitions, rebuild identity, and find meaning in challenge. This is about more than performance… It’s about purpose, curiosity, and how to rewrite your story when it matters most.Join us to explore:Harnessing the “Effort Paradox”Reinventing identity through challenge and changeThe biology driving risk and rewardMastering self-talk under pressureHow superstition shapes high performanceWhat drives us to explore the unknown Please email stephen@liveunbound.com if you have any questions about what we discussed today.Like this show? Please subscribe and leave us a five-star rating and review. It’s a chance to tell us what you love about the show, and it helps others discover it too. Consider leaving your Instagram handle so we can thank you personally, and feel free to follow ours.

In this Unbound Tool, best-selling author and entrepreneur Patrick Sweeney shares his journey of battling a rare form of leukaemia, using mental performance techniques from the Olympic Training Centre.As doctors collaborated with a Penn State expert, Patrick harnessed visualisation to strengthen his mind and body, picturing his cells as warriors fighting the disease. With the support of friends, including a local priest, and an unwavering focus on recovery, Patrick's story highlights the power of mental imagery and positive self-talk in overcoming adversity.Listen to the full episode here: https://www.liveunbound.com/podcasts/living-with-no-limits

Karen Eber breaks down the science of storytelling and why it’s the secret weapon for influence, connection, and driving real change.Karen shares how the right story can shape teams, inspire action, and build stronger relationships. Whether you're leading a company, managing a team, or just want to communicate more effectively, this conversation is packed with insights you can apply instantly.Join us to explore:How childhood shaped Karen’s storytellingKey ingredients of a relatable storyWhy our brains crave great storiesTurning data into engaging narrativesLeadership lessons through storytellingPlease email stephen@liveunbound.com if you have any questions about what we discussed today.Like this show? Please subscribe and leave us a five-star rating and review. It’s a chance to tell us what you love about the show, and it helps others discover it too. Consider leaving your Instagram handle so we can thank you personally, and feel free to follow ours.