It was a rare, public moment of vulnerability

With economic credibility under scrutiny and her future uncertain, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves cried in Parliament yesterday, after the Prime Minister declined to confirm whether she would stay in post.

It was a rare, public moment of vulnerability.

And it’s triggered everything from a political storm.

But it also raises a deeper question for leaders:

👉 Is it ever OK to cry at work?

In my own career and in coaching agency founders, I’ve seen how much pressure leaders feel to stay composed.

Calm. Controlled. Unflappable.

Especially when the stakes are high.

But here’s the paradox:

If you never show emotion, you seem cold.

If you do, it’s seen as weakness.

Crying doesn’t always mean you’re falling apart.

Sometimes it means you’re deeply connected to what matters.

The real question isn’t whether you show emotion.

It’s how you make space for it, without letting it run the room.

That takes emotional literacy.

Self-awareness.

And the courage to lead with honesty, without making your team carry the weight of your inner world.

We talk a lot about psychological safety in teams.

But leaders need it too.

Especially the ones holding everything together.