TrustTalk - It's all about Trust

Desire, Trust and the Boardroom

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Episode notes

Our guest today is Dana Pharant, former professional dominatrix turned leadership coach, who shares her unique insights into the links between trust, power, and vulnerability. Drawing from her experience in the BDSM world and her work with corporate leaders, Dana explains that true leadership is not about domination, but about creating the space where people willingly place their trust in you. She emphasizes that trust is built through evidence and emotional safety, not through demands, fear, or blind faith. Dana discusses how surrender, often misunderstood as weakness, is actually a pathway to greater inner strength and more authentic leadership. She highlights how healthy trust dynamics involve setting clear boundaries, understanding consent deeply, and creating psychological safety both in intimate and professional environments. In a society that often separates sexuality from professional life, Dana argues for a more integrated approach, where acknowledging our desires and emotional truths leads to stronger, more trustworthy relationships at work. She also touches on the dangers of leadership rooted in unhealed trauma and explains why leaders must first do their inner work to foster real trust with their teams. Through her story and coaching philosophy, Dana challenges listeners to rethink power, lust, surrender, and authenticity—not as opposites of professionalism, but as essential elements for genuine human connection and leadership.