Decoding the Unicorn: The Podcast

Sara Causey
  • 3.0 (1)
  • History
  • Updated Weekly

A quiet diplomat. A mystery man. A unicorn in leadership.Dag Hammarskjöld was the second Secretary-General of the United Nations, a Nobel Prize winner, a philosopher, and a poet. But history has only told a fraction of the real story. Was he the cold, detached bureaucrat the media portrayed him to be? Or was he something far more complex—someone with passion, humor, and a fire beneath the frost? Welcome to Decoding the Unicorn, the podcast where we go beyond the headlines and into the mind of one of history’s most misunderstood figures. Each week, we’ll dive into Dag's leadership, his spirituality, his battles on the world stage, and the myths that need to be shattered. We'll also examine modern issues like navigating the corporate world, the loud, vitriolic climate of the political landscape, why we need introverts and HSPs participating in management and government, and much more.If you’re a deep thinker, a lover of history, or just someone searching for a different kind of leadership, this podcast is for you! Theme music by Ramlal Rohitash from Pixabay.

  1. Aug 4

    Episode 48: Why Dag Hammarskjöld Still Matters | Five Reasons His Legacy Endures

    More than sixty years after his death, why are people still reading, discussing, and discovering Dag Hammarskjöld? In this episode of Decoding the Unicorn, I explore five reasons why Dag's life remains remarkably relevant in the twenty-first century. From quiet leadership and diplomacy to integrity, character, and the importance of seeing the human being behind the public figure, Dag continues to challenge many of our assumptions about what makes a leader worth following. I also share a personal reflection on something I've been thinking about lately: how legacies survive—or disappear. In an age of endless scrolling, it's easy to assume that liking a post or following an organization is enough. Those things certainly help, but history is preserved by people who choose to engage more deeply. They read the books. They visit the museums. They support the historians, filmmakers, podcasters, and authors who dedicate years to keeping important stories alive. We vote every day with our attention. Sometimes we also vote with our dollars. If we believe someone's life and ideas deserve to endure for future generations, those choices matter. Whether you're discovering Dag Hammarskjöld for the first time or have admired him for years, I hope this episode leaves you with a renewed appreciation for why his story still deserves to be told. If you enjoyed the episode, consider subscribing, sharing it with someone who loves history or leadership, and joining me as we continue exploring the extraordinary life of one of the twentieth century's most remarkable—and surprisingly human—figures. #DagHammarskjöld #Leadership #History #UnitedNations #Biography #QuietLeadership #Diplomacy #DecodingTheUnicorn #Books #Podcast *** For insider information & spilled tea, please subscribe to my weekly newsletter, The Unicorn Dispatch, here: https://sara-causey.kit.com/2d8b7742dd Sara's award-winning biography of Dag, Decoding the Unicorn, can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Unicorn-New-Look-Hammarskj%C3%B6ld-ebook/dp/B0DSCS5PZT Simply Dag: The Private Man in a Public—and Dangerous—Office is now available in ebook and print anywhere Amazon books are sold: https://a.co/d/06kuNST9 The exclusive audiobook experience is available here: https://sara-ija-shop.fourthwall.com/products/simply-dag-audiobook

  2. Jul 7

    Episode 47: Imposter Syndrome

    Ever sat in a meeting with the fear, "Eventually, they’re going to figure out I have no idea what I’m doing."  You aren't alone. In fact, 70+% of high-achievers experience Imposter Syndrome. The paradox is that it rarely affects people who are actually unqualified—it disproportionately targets the people who care the most.  In this episode, I'll break down the psychology of why we feel like frauds, how to identify which of the "5 Imposter Archetypes" is holding you back, and actionable strategies to shut down that inner critic, both in your career and your personal life. If you’re tired of feeling like your success is just luck or that everyone else is ahead of you, this episode is for you. #impostersyndrome #imposterarchetypes  *** For insider information & spilled tea, please subscribe to my weekly newsletter, The Unicorn Dispatch, here: https://sara-causey.kit.com/2d8b7742dd Sara's award-winning biography of Dag can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Unicorn-New-Look-Hammarskj%C3%B6ld-ebook/dp/B0DSCS5PZT Her forthcoming project, Simply Dag, will release globally on July 29th! ✨

  3. Jun 12

    Episode 46: Do You Actually Want Change?

    Do you verbally say you desire change and then resist what's necessary to achieve it? We've all done it. And in this episode, I discuss why.  The Brain Prefers a "Predictable Miserable" over an "Unpredictable Happy"  Cognitive Comfort vs. Executive Fatigue  The "Intention-Behavior Gap"  The Secret Benefit of Staying Stuck *** For insider information & spilled tea, please subscribe to my weekly newsletter, The Unicorn Dispatch, here: https://sara-causey.kit.com/2d8b7742dd Sara's award-winning biography of Dag can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Unicorn-New-Look-Hammarskj%C3%B6ld-ebook/dp/B0DSCS5PZT Her forthcoming project, Simply Dag, will release globally on July 29th! ✨

  4. May 5

    Episode 45: The Man New York Forgot?

    You can stand in Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza—just steps from the United Nations—and never learn who Dag Hammarskjöld was. No context. No explanation. Just a name on the street. In this episode of Decoding the Unicorn: The Podcast, I explore a strange and unsettling question: How does someone so important become so invisible? Dag Hammarskjöld wasn’t just a historical figure—he helped define modern diplomacy and led the United Nations through some of its most fragile moments. And yet, in the very city where his legacy should be alive and visible, his story is barely told. This isn’t just about a missing plaque. It’s about how history is remembered, and how it quietly fades. In this episode, I share:  Why the absence of context in Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza matters  What happens when we reduce a legacy to a name alone  My own efforts to change that—and what I’ve discovered along the way Because sometimes, history isn’t overtly erased. It’s just not explained. *** For insider information & spilled tea, please subscribe to my weekly newsletter, The Unicorn Dispatch, here: https://sara-causey.kit.com/2d8b7742dd Sara's award-winning biography of Dag can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Unicorn-New-Look-Hammarskj%C3%B6ld-ebook/dp/B0DSCS5PZT Her forthcoming project, Simply Dag, will release globally on July 29th! ✨  #DagHammarskjöld #UNHistory #ForgottenHistory #HiddenHistory #NYCHistory  #PublicHistory #HistoricalLegacy #QuietLeadership #Diplomacy #ColdWarHistory  #UntoldStories #HistoryMatters #StoryBehindTheName #CulturalMemory #NewYorkCity

  5. Apr 7

    Episode 44: Feeling Lost? Start Here. (Self-Knowledge Changes Everything)

    What if the problem isn’t that you don’t know what to do… but that you’ve never really been taught how to know yourself? Let’s talk about self-knowledge—the kind that quietly reshapes your decisions, your relationships, and the direction of your life. Because most people aren’t actually lost. They’re just disconnected from themselves. #selfknowledge #feelingstuck #findyourdirection #personalgrowth #selfdiscovery #innerlife #emotionalintelligence #mindsetshift #lifedirection #clarity #purpose #knowyourself #growthjourney #midlifereflection #authenticliving  *** For insider information & spilled tea, please subscribe to my weekly newsletter, The Unicorn Dispatch, here: https://sara-causey.kit.com/2d8b7742dd Sara's award-winning biography of Dag can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Unicorn-New-Look-Hammarskj%C3%B6ld-ebook/dp/B0DSCS5PZT Her forthcoming project, Simply Dag, will release globally on July 29th! ✨

  6. Mar 3

    Episode 43: War Has Begun… What Would Dag Hammarskjöld Say?

    With the United States and Israel now at war with Iran, the headlines feel eerily familiar: escalation, retaliation, alliances hardening, and the fear that this could spiral into something much larger. So now that war has begun… what would Dag Hammarskjöld say? After all: history doesn’t just repeat. It warns. Links: https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Unicorn-New-Look-Hammarskj%C3%B6ld-ebook/dp/B0DSCS5PZT https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1954_Guatemalan_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat https://www.buzzsprout.com/2289560/episodes/14229543 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revolution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_Chilean_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusto_Pinochet *** For insider information & spilled tea, please subscribe to my weekly newsletter, The Unicorn Dispatch, here: https://sara-causey.kit.com/2d8b7742dd Sara's award-winning biography of Dag can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Unicorn-New-Look-Hammarskj%C3%B6ld-ebook/dp/B0DSCS5PZT Her forthcoming project, Simply Dag, will release globally on July 29th! ✨

  7. Feb 3

    Episode 42: Not Everyone Will Go With You

    When you decide to level up in life, not everyone will go with you. And that's OK. They don't have to! Ken Atchity's book: https://www.amazon.com/How-Quit-Your-Live-Dreams/dp/1616086866 *** Subscribe to my weekly newsletter, The Unicorn Dispatch, here: https://sara-causey.kit.com/2d8b7742dd Sara's award-winning biography of Dag can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Unicorn-New-Look-Hammarskj%C3%B6ld-ebook/dp/B0DSCS5PZT Her forthcoming project, Simply Dag, will release globally on July 29th! ✨ #levelup #makingchanges #notallfriendshipsareforever

  8. Jan 6

    Episode 41: Are New Year's Resolutions Better in the Spring? 🤔

    The holiday season is over and most people are back to the daily grind. Is this really the best time to make a resolution? Nature is still asleep. The ground is fallow. Why do we do this to ourselves? Links: https://source.washu.edu/2019/12/new-years-resolution-wait-until-spring/ https://www.bucksfamilynetwork.com/post/why-new-years-resolution-are-best-left-until-spring-mental-health Housekeeping note: this podcast will be releasing on a monthly basis. I am low on time and my priority is ensuring that Simply Dag releases this summer, so I'll be publishing episodes once per month moving forward.  *** Subscribe to my weekly newsletter, The Unicorn Dispatch, here: https://sara-causey.kit.com/2d8b7742dd Sara's award-winning biography of Dag can be found on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Unicorn-New-Look-Hammarskj%C3%B6ld-ebook/dp/B0DSCS5PZT Her forthcoming project, Simply Dag, will release globally on July 29th! ✨ #newyearsresolutions #newyearnewme #SAD #wheeloftheyear #springisthetimeforchange #letsgobacktobed #hibernationtime

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A quiet diplomat. A mystery man. A unicorn in leadership.Dag Hammarskjöld was the second Secretary-General of the United Nations, a Nobel Prize winner, a philosopher, and a poet. But history has only told a fraction of the real story. Was he the cold, detached bureaucrat the media portrayed him to be? Or was he something far more complex—someone with passion, humor, and a fire beneath the frost? Welcome to Decoding the Unicorn, the podcast where we go beyond the headlines and into the mind of one of history’s most misunderstood figures. Each week, we’ll dive into Dag's leadership, his spirituality, his battles on the world stage, and the myths that need to be shattered. We'll also examine modern issues like navigating the corporate world, the loud, vitriolic climate of the political landscape, why we need introverts and HSPs participating in management and government, and much more.If you’re a deep thinker, a lover of history, or just someone searching for a different kind of leadership, this podcast is for you! Theme music by Ramlal Rohitash from Pixabay.

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