Crisis, what crisis?

Friday’s Fiasco

This week the BBC lost both its director-general and CEO of News, not over one scandal, but because they ran out of scandals to survive. The Gary Lineker impartiality row. The Russell Brand allegations. The Huw Edwards case. BBC Arabic's anti-Israel bias. Climate coverage corrections. Trans debate censorship. Gregg Wallace. And finally, doctored Trump footage that the White House called "purposeful dishonesty."

Tim Davie didn't resign when he learned about the Trump edit in May. He and Deborah Turness resigned this week when there was nowhere left to hide. Chair Samir Shah, who was warned alongside Davie six months ago, is still in post claiming he'll "manage this transition."

The mission-critical problem? You can't lead a public service broadcaster if you're part of the problem. And you can't rebuild trust with the public when you accept you did something wrong.

Fast forward a few days and Trump threatened a $1bn lawsuit. The Guardian called the resignations "shocking" and "way out of proportion" to the editing error. News emerged of a second editing fail. Legal experts said Trump’s case was weak. As Friday’s deadline approached, the BBC apologised but refused to pay compensation. Shah sent Trump a letter saying he and the corporation are "sorry for the edit." But BBC lawyers have contested every claim, wrong jurisdiction, no reputational harm (he got elected president), no actual malice, no basis for defamation. Trump’s press secretary says the lawsuit will continue. 

Acknowledge the cover-up publicly. Licence fee payers are still waiting for an explanation as to why leadership knew in  May but kept mum until they were found out. 

Apologise to the right people. Trump got Shah's letter. The British public got legal defences. You owe viewers an apology for how this has all played out and for the actions that got the BBC here that goes beyond “it’s deeply regrettable…”

Consider how the BBC board can rebuild trust with Shah still at the helm. YouGov polling  shows only 19% think the BBC is unbiased. The rest can't agree which way the Beeb leans. Fix the editorial standards that allowed this—not just the people who got caught.

Amends will be forced on the institution by select committees and creating a public verdict on the licence fee is a risky strategy. There are options to get ahead of this and you should take them.

It’s always worth remembering that no matter how bad things seem right now, they can always get worse. 

Fodder from the floor

🔥 TEDx Global Idea Search

📅 Monday 24 November, 6.30-9.30pm

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TED and TEDxLondon is on a mission to find the best ideas and speakers from across the globe. With 10 finalists ready to share their idea worth spreading, who will be chosen for the TED stage in 2026? This one-time event is your chance to experience the TED magic that captivates millions of viewers worldwide. Step behind the scenes of TED for an exclusive intimate evening hearing from 10 finalists hoping to perform their idea on the main stage at TED 2026 in Vancouver.

Plus the evening is your chance to connect with the TED community and meet fellow Londoners who are excited by ideas that shape our future. 

🎟️ Join us and buy your ticket now: https://tedxlondon.com/tedx-global-idea-search/  P.S. Spaces are very limited - read more on our website about how our tickets are different for this event.

Why not book Leah to speak at your next event about missed warning signs, damage caused, and how to lead differently so you don’t become the one calling for help.

Dear Leah,

I'm investment director at a mid-market PE firm and one of our portfolio companies is haemorrhaging key talent six months post-acquisition. We bought this business specifically for its exceptional management team and technical expertise. The deal completed smoothly, we've been hands-off on operations as promised, but three senior leaders have resigned in the past two months and our talent retention bonuses aren't working. Exit interviews reveal people feel "the culture has changed," that decisions are now "all about the numbers," and that the leadership team that built the business is being "sidelined by finance people." Our operating partner insists we're just "introducing proper governance," but we're watching our investment thesis walk out the door. The CEO we backed is demoralised and hinting they might leave too. How do we protect portfolio value when our very presence seems to be destroying what we bought?

— Watching value walk out the door

Dear Watching value walk out the door,

Welcome to the private equity paradox: you bought the people, but your acquisition process is driving them away. Your operating partner thinks they're adding value through governance, but they're actually destroying value through cultural imperialism.

Face the facts

We're organisational repair specialists at The WayFinders Group. We repair the human system after crises, scandals and disputes, resolving relational damage so performance returns and results stick.

When formal processes close cases but don't repair relationships, when scandals are "managed" but teams remain fractured, when crises are contained but trust stays broken, we deliver restorative interventions that address the inseparable cultural damage and operational damage.

Your reputation takes years to build and one crisis to destroy. We resolve the damage before it becomes your legacy.