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So, you cried at work. In front of other people. Maybe it caught you off guardunexpected tears rising mid-sentence during a meeting, or an emotional wave you couldnt quite contain. Maybe you knew it was coming but thought you could hold it until later. And now, on top of whatever brought the tears in the first place, youre managing a second layer: the self-consciousness. The post-cry spiral. The wondering what they think. The wondering what this means. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/03\/acupofambition_logo.jpg","headline":"A Cup of Ambition","description":"A biweekly newsletter for high-achieving moms who value having a meaningful career and being an involved parent, by Jessica Wilen. To learn more visit acupofambition.substack.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}} If thats where you are, heres what I want you to hear: this happens. More often than people admit. And while it may not have been your plan, its not an indictment of your professionalism, your competence, or your leadership. What crying at work actually signals As a coach and therapist, Ive worked with dozens of women in the moment after this onethe part where you start replaying the scene, wondering if you lost credibility or if your colleagues now see you differently. And what Ive learned is this: Tears in a professional setting rarely happen out of nowhere. Theyre often the culmination of weeks, months, sometimes years of accumulation. Maybe its rooted in unspoken frustration, chronic overextension, casual sexism that youve absorbed and tried to rise above, situations that put you in no-win territory, or being told your feedback is so important but watching nothing change. Eventually, your internal emotional system starts to flag andsometimesthat results in tears. In many workplaces, crying in front of others still carries a social cost. There may be discomfort, silence, or even avoidance. Thats not because you did something wrongits because we havent built workplace cultures that know how to metabolize emotion. So what do you do now? A Professional Debrief Heres what I often walk clients through after a moment like this: 1. Take a neutral inventory What was happening in the room, both externally and internally? Think through both the words that were said and the dynamics at play. Were you under attack? Were you receiving feedback in a way that felt demeaning? Were you put in a position where your values felt compromised? Often, the tears arent about a single momenttheyre about a cumulative weight. Getting specific can help you separate the emotional release from the storyline of I lost control. 2. Dont rush to over-correct The instinct might be to overexplain or immediately send a follow-up message downplaying the moment. Thats not always necessary. If you feel a follow-up would serve younot just protect others from discomfortthen keep it simple and grounded: “Yesterdays conversation touched on something I care deeply about, and I had a strong response. I appreciate everyones professionalism, and Im clearheaded about where to go from here.” Theres no need for a drawn-out apology. Emotion isnt misconduct. 3. Zoom out. What system were you navigating? Women in leadership often carry a disproportionate burden of emotional regulation. You may be expected to be the one who brings empathy, maintains the calm, and absorbs tension. When that expectation becomes unsustainable, the moment you stop performing that role can feel disruptive. That doesnt make your feelings inappropriate. It makes the system worth examining. If youre still cringing Thats natural. Youre human. And most of us were conditioned to believe that our value at work rests on being cool, calm, and above it all. But from a professional perspective, one emotional momentespecially when it reflects real stress or high stakesdoesnt undo years of competence, credibility, or leadership. Its a data point, not a verdict. So the question becomes: what do you want to learn from it? Not in a punitive, How do I make sure this never happens again? waybut in a curious, Whats the system Ive been operating in, and what is it costing me? kind of way. Maybe youve been holding too much without support. Maybe something in your role or team culture needs repair. Maybe your values are rubbing up against something that isnt working anymore. Whatever it isits worth paying attention to. Pause and reflect Crying at work is not a character flaw. Its a moment of unscheduled honesty in a place that doesnt always make room for it. And while it may not have felt professional, it may have been true. And truth is always worth examining. If youre finding yourself stuck in the aftershocksruminating, replaying, pulling awayId invite you to pause. Not to fix yourself, but to reflect. With less judgment and more context. You are not the only one. You are not broken. And this moment doesnt define you. But it might be trying to tell you something important. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/03\/acupofambition_logo.jpg","headline":"A Cup of Ambition","description":"A biweekly newsletter for high-achieving moms who value having a meaningful career and being an involved parent, by Jessica Wilen. To learn more visit acupofambition.substack.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}}
Category:
E-Commerce
Everyone loves the aha momentthat big idea, concept, or insight. But real impact happens when innovation takes root, at scale. This is where the rubber really meets the road. We are facing some of the biggest global challenges in decadesfrom socioeconomic changes and an aging population to climate impacts and the real need to feed our rapidly changing world. Innovation is how we turn challenges into ideas and actionable results. But it only matters when it can be scaled, making its way from whiteboards and pilot plants into the real world on shelves and in peoples lives. So, what does it take to make that happen? The best recipe for scalable innovation starts with the right culture, partners, and willingness to stay the course. Build a culture of innovation You dont get world-changing ideas by staying comfortable. The essence of innovation is stepping into something new. Scaling innovation starts by intentionally building a culture of innovation, with the right mindset, beliefs and behaviors. My teams have done this by: Attracting top talent: Innovation begins with innovators. We consistently focus on recruiting deep expertise and curious minds to our team. Building world-class capabilities: Driving growth requires investing in capabilities needed for the future (looking at emerging spaces 3-5 years out) even in tough times. Focusing on customer and consumer needs: Know your why. For us, its fulfilling our purpose through solutions that deliver value to our customers and their consumers. Dedicated innovation and technical teams tagged to strategic customers have made all the difference. Enhancing innovation systems and processes. Governance and defined processes arent optional. We got creative, working with our audit team to make innovation measurable and so it sticks. Innovation isnt just R&D. Its a mindset that thrives on experimentation, tolerates failure, and encourages rapid iteration. When you focus not only on the idea, but how that idea creates impact for customers across your organization or industry, thats where the magic happens. You can reinforce how your unique capabilities, processes, and portfolio connect, building conviction to act across an organization, together. Partnerships drive exponential possibility Ive been asked a lot about what the benefits are of companies collaborating to drive scalable innovations. To me its simple. Innovation is the ultimate team sport. No one succeeds alone. Period. Scaling innovations demands a connected system across the supply chain, geographies, and partners. This approach unites experts from academia, startups, VCs, suppliers, and brand-name companies around the same goal: finding science-driven innovations that work. Part of the equation is balancing profit, purpose, and demand. Innovations must make business sense and deliver profits. But you cant abandon ship at the first sign of short-term volatility. Thats why this kind of integration is rare and powerful. Sharing risks and rewards requires a foundation of partnership, trust, and clear understanding of the role each of us plays in the full innovation ecosystem. For Cargill, which supports 30+ startups in 11 countries and almost every continent, partnership takes many forms. We have an early validation program to address the biggest startup challenges, moving from concept to scale. We also partner with universities and accelerators to advance critical research and innovations. And we partner with customers to achieve shared goals of improved health, nutrition, sustainability, and food system resilience Stay the course Great ideas are just the beginning. Too many innovations are celebrated early, hitting the top of the hype curve before getting filed away. Why? Because scaling isnt easy. Scale demands rigor, patience, and some grit. It takes science, systems, and the right incentives to stay committed long enough to see real results. Its the repeatable and reliable innovations that make the real difference, including those that are accessible. To make sure your innovations stick, build scalability into your innovation plans from the start. Think in systems, prioritize speed, and access and always collaborate. Balance delivering for today (were all accountable to the bottom line) without losing sight of the long-term vision. The future belongs to those who not only imagine whats possible but who can build it at scale. Thats how we move from aha to innovations that truly change our world. Florian Schattenmann is CTO of Cargill.
Category:
E-Commerce
While the No Tax on Tips provision in President Donald Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill Act has been making headlines for its tax deductions on tips and overtime, there are plenty of other write-offs tucked into the massive 940 page billincluding one aimed at car owners financing new vehicles with loans. Now that the bill is law, here’s what to know. Rules for the new car loan tax deduction Like the “No Tax on Tips” provision, this deduction has a few catches, including but not limited to the fact that it is temporary, set to expire at the end of Trump’s second term in 2028. Furthermore, the deduction only applies to interest on loans taken out on qualified passenger vehicles used for personal, not business travel, whose final assembly occurred in the United States. The vehicles must be purchased in 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028. On the plus side for tax filers: In addition to cars, the tax credit will apply to vans (including minvans), sport utility vehicles (SUVs), pickup trucks, and even motorcycles, according to CNN. On the minus side: The tax deduction appears to apply only for new, not used, vehicles. Who is eligible for the car loan deduction, and how much is the deduction amount? The deduction is available to those with “qualified passenger vehicles” who fall under certain income limits. For single filers with an adjusted gross income up to $100,000 ($200,000 for joint filers), the deductions on vehicle loans are capped at $10,000 in interest each year (regardless of whether the deductions are itemized). The deduction amount decreases $200 for every $1,000 over that income threshold, CNN reported. Who will get the most benefit from this tax break on car loan interest? Economist Jonathan Smoke at Cox Automotive research firm told CNBC most taxpayers won’t reach the highest amount of the deduction benefit, since only the most expensive cars, like Rolls-Royces, Ferraris, Porsches, or Land Rovers, have annual interest charges of $10,000.
Category:
E-Commerce
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