Episode 77

Written By zoe amar

Slow-Burn Leadership: Why The Best Change Takes Time

We chat to John May, CEO of Cats Protection


Leading a charity with 1,000 staff and 10,000 volunteers requires a delicate balance of co-creation, patience, and cultural transformation. In this episode, John May shares insights from his role as Chief Executive of Cats Protection, discussing how to create lasting organisational change and foster meaningful partnerships between staff and volunteers.

At the heart of our conversation with John are powerful insights about creating sustainable change in large organisations:

  • The evolution of voluntary organisations and the need for new partnership models between paid staff and volunteers

  • Why co-creation, rather than compromise, leads to better decision-making

  • The importance of taking time to build lasting change rather than seeking quick wins

  • How to embed values deeply into organisational culture rather than letting them become mere PowerPoint slides

  • Supporting pet owners through the cost-of-living crisis while expanding reach from 157,000 to millions of cats

John shares a refreshing perspective on leadership, emphasising that sustainable change often takes longer than we initially think and requires patience, gentle persuasion rather than imposition, and genuine co-creation with all stakeholders. Digital transformation isn't just about tech - it's about knowing when to build specialist teams, when to distribute expertise, and crucially, when your organisation is ready for change.

Zoe and Paul also discuss what Trump’s election win tells us about how leadership is changing.

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Episode 76