How great leaders navigate burnout and uncertainty

Can AI improve access to mental health support without replacing the human connection at the heart of therapy? In this episode of Leaders with Purpose, Lou Lai is joined by Ben Kay, Chief Experience Officer at the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Ben shares how his experience of burnout has shaped the way he leads and why vulnerability should be treated as a strength in the workplace. He also explores the ethical role AI could play in mental health support, from helping therapists with everyday tasks to supporting people when human help is unavailable. The conversation also looks at BACP’s transformation as it approaches its 50th anniversary, including how the organisation is improving its membership experience and preparing for a future defined by constant change. They also covered: 00:53 - Moving from the private sector into purpose-led work 02:14 - Supporting counsellors and psychotherapists across Britain 05:43 - Leading an organisation through major change 10:00 - Why change management must remain human 12:56 - Financial sustainability in purpose-led organisations 16:45 - Technology, AI and access to mental health support 19:18 - Can AI support therapy without replacing human connection? 22:47 - Building ethical technology for mental health 25:20 - Vulnerability, burnout and leadership 28:03 - Why leaders need to admit when they are not fine 30:00 - Finding purpose through personal experience 32:55 - The future of membership at BACP 37:13 - Rebuilding trust with 76,000 members 39:16 - Using continuous feedback to improve member experience 41:34 - Measuring how easy an organisation is to engage with 45:33 - Why every organisation is judged by its last best experience 47:49 - Building technology for an uncertain future 52:08 - Keeping human connection at the centre of change 54:14 - What happens when people do not support the vision? 59:39 - Advice for the next generation of leaders Subscribe to Leaders with Purpose for more conversations about leadership, organisational change, mental health and technology.   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/78ASRJjPQjcijfeFxyiafX?si=41269ee0af1a468d Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leaders-with-purpose/id1836126863 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/ad0874f0-68de-4c21-a3e2-e08dfe71597a/leaders-with-purpose Connect with us: Ben Kay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benkay76/ Lou Lai: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-lai-3958962a/ manifesto: https://manifesto.co.uk/