When sorry is the hardest word

Friday’s Fiasco

This week we’re in the US where a federal judge just approved a $7 billion settlement for Purdue Pharma, the company behind OxyContin - the prescription painkiller that fueled America's opioid crisis killing 900,000 Americans since 1997. Purdue's aggressive marketing of OxyContin despite growing addiction and deaths made them, in one lawyer's words, "the worst of the worst of all the culprits."  Under the judicial order, the Sackler family will give up ownership and contribute to the settlement but even after 20 years of litigation and thousands of lawsuits, the Sackler’s still maintain they did nothing wrong. 

Expressing "regret" whilst denying wrongdoing isn't an apology. The Sacklers could have acknowledged harm, apologised, and worked with affected communities years ago. Failing to admit your company's actions contributed to those deaths is sympathy without responsibility. Families are still furious. Communities are still broken. One plaintiff's lawyer was clear: "This case never should have been in bankruptcy - it should have been in criminal court."

If the Sackler family asked for our advice, we’d tell them:

It’s not too late to do the right thing. 20 years late is better than never. Acknowledge specifically what Purdue did and the harm it caused.

Open the files. Release internal documents showing how decisions were made, who knew what and when. The settlement protects your legal position - transparency is your only route to credibility.

Ask, don't tell. You've dictated terms through legal proceedings for two decades. Sit down with affected families and communities and ask what meaningful amends could look like. They probably value acknowledgement and an apology as highly as your money.

When your legacy is measured in body count rather than billions, maybe it's time to try a different strategy.

Fodder from the floor

THREE DAYS TO GO

🔥 TEDx Global Idea Search

📅 Monday 24 November, 6.30-9.30pm

📍 Ladbroke Hall, London

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 chief people officer dealing with the aftermath nobody prepared me for. Six months ago, we ran a thorough investigation into allegations against one of our senior managers. The investigation cleared them completely with no case to answer. But their team has never recovered. Three people resigned immediately after the outcome was announced, citing "loss of faith in the process." The manager feels vindicated but also traumatised by the experience. The remaining team members are quiet, compliant, and clearly don't trust anyone anymore. Our staff survey results for that division are catastrophic. The investigation was textbook perfect from a legal perspective, but it's broken something fundamental. How do we rebuild trust when the process itself created the damage?

— Won the battle but lost the war

Dear Won the battle but lost the war,

This is what happens when organisations treat investigations as the end point rather than the beginning of repair work.

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 repair the damage before it becomes your legacy.