(MENAFN- Live Mint) A US business leader has sparked a major online debate after admitting that she fired two employees for having an extramarital affair, saying she considers such behaviour a“liability” in the workplace.

Natalie Dawson, president of Cardone Ventures, made the statement during an appearance on 'The Diary of a CEO' podcast. Dawson said she instantly terminated the employees when she learned they were involved with each other despite being in relationships outside work.

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“As soon as I caught wind of it, it wasn't even a split-second decision,” Dawson told host Steven Bartlett.“I can't have this in my environment, especially someone close around me.”

When asked whether she would fire someone solely for cheating on their partner, Dawson responded:“Absolutely. I can't have cheaters. If they will cheat on the person they're supposed to spend their life with, do you think they won't cheat on their work? Or on our clients? That person is a liability.”

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Dawson said she believes personal ethics directly influence professional behaviour.“If somebody has a problem in their personal life, they are the same person who shows up to work,” she said, adding that she feels it's her responsibility to protect the company culture.

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Her remarks triggered a heated debate on social media, with some users supporting Dawson's stance on integrity while others accused her of overstepping into employees' private lives.

One user wrote,“Never do business with a cheater... If they can cheat on the most important person in their life, imagine what they'd do behind your back.”

Another criticised her approach, calling it“power-drunk management”:

“If they're doing their jobs and on time, why should a manager interfere in their personal relationships? Trying to control people's lives just because they work for you is narcissistic behaviour.”

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A third user argued that Dawson's logic is about consistency:

“She's saying personal integrity reflects how someone will behave at work - if you betray your partner, you might betray your employer too.”

“Morals and values over everything,” the fourth user wrote.

“At the end of the day, her company her rules. She gets to decide what values she wants to upkeep within her premises, under her watch. A leader with principle,” the fifth user wrote.

Dawson co-founded Cardone Ventures - a management consulting and private equity firm - with her husband and entrepreneur Grant Cardone in 2019. The company has grown rapidly, reporting revenues of $225 million.

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