Issue #3
Every scandal has a root system. In the UK Post Office crisis, the roots were not just in bad code or failing oversight. The real rot was far more ordinary: leaders who quietly chose themselves over the people they were supposed to serve.
Over the past two months, we’ve seen how truth was pushed aside and how risky it became to speak up. This month, we go deeper. The failure wasn’t limited to one group. Across the whole chain: Fujitsu protected contracts. The Post Office protected efficiency. The government wanted quiet. Regulators protected stability. At every point in the chain, self-interest won. Hundreds of innocent people suffered.
Inside Fujitsu, self-interest showed up in different ways. From 2015 to 2022, the company kept reorganizing. On paper, this promised collaboration. In reality, it created silos. Leaders focused on their own metrics. They protected their bonuses. At the individual level, one subject matter expert attacked anyone who tried to update outdated processes. During a cultural transformation leadership training, he finally said it out loud: his only goal was to reach retirement and keep the money flowing.
The legal system played a role too. In 1999, a law change made computer evidence automatically trusted unless victims could prove it was wrong. The Post Office backed that change. Years later, a barrister admitted he edited expert testimony and hid key information from the defense. Nothing happened. No urgent action. No consequences.
When self-serving leadership exists at every level, it doesn’t just fail to solve problems; it actively pushes out anyone who tries.
Scripture shows us two paths. When Jesus washed His disciples’ feet (John 13), He used authority to lift others, taking the lowest place despite holding the highest power. This is courage and humility in action.
King Ahab chose the opposite path. He gathered prophets who told him what he wanted to hear and punished the one who told the truth. He went to war anyway and died exactly as warned (1 Kings 22). That is the cost of silencing truth to preserve comfort.
That is what happens when leaders choose Ahab’s path. When leaders protect themselves first, they build systems that harm the powerless and shield the powerful.
So, how can you help change that?
Ask:
- When making decisions, who benefits most: you, your team, or the people you serve?
- Do you avoid uncomfortable truths to protect your comfort, reputation, or metrics?
- Could your choices make it harder for someone with less power to succeed?
- When someone raises a concern, do you listen first or protect yourself or the process?
Act: Align incentives with outcomes that serve people, not just metrics or optics. Use your authority as stewardship; protect those with less power.
Model: Next time you face the choice, protect someone with less power instead of your reputation. Do it publicly. Let your team see what you value most.
Leaders set culture one decision at a time. When leaders choose themselves, people suffer. When leaders choose service, people heal. The choice is made every day.
(This is part 3 of the UK Post Office Scandal series.)
Invitations
Leadership was never meant to be practiced alone. Kingdom Factor Cohort (KFC) brings leaders together to wrestle with faith, power, and responsibility. I’m hosting a KFC Taster Event on 29th January so you can experience it first hand. Curious? Find out more here.