This episode explores how unresolved personal experiences can quietly shape our reactions — especially in positions of leadership, power, and responsibility.
The conversation is sparked by a viral clip from Natalie Dawson, shared on Diary of a CEO, where she describes firing two employees after discovering they were having an affair.
Rather than debating right or wrong, we use this moment as a case study to explore how emotional triggers, projection, and unexamined personal history can hijack decision-making.
Together, Dr. Todd and Dannie unpack how trauma responses and black-and-white thinking show up in workplaces, leadership, and relationships — and how learning to pause, reflect, and repair can lead to more intentional choices.
This episode is for anyone who’s ever had a strong reaction and wondered: Where did that come from?
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Resources & Mentions
Natalie Dawson’s interview on the Diary of a CEO podcast, hosted by Steven Bartlett.
Natalie Dawson is the Co-Founder & President of Cardone Ventures, a business consulting and investment firm. The clip we discuss shows her defending her decision to immediately fire two employees after learning they were having an affair (both had partners outside the company). Her position is that personal infidelity signals professional unreliability
Further Reflection:
We don't know for sure what drove Natalie's reaction. But whether she's triggered or value-driven, the key question is: Am I making decisions consciously and thoughtfully, or am I reacting from an unexamined place?
That's the work for all of us.
And when we inevitably mess up (because we're human), the real measure is whether we can repair.
