Transforming Schools, Shaping Cultures: Abhilasha Deshmukh

💡 Episode Key Insights

• From “Who Works for a School?” to 10 Years of Impact [00:03:30]
Abhilasha shares how she almost walked away from Global Schools Group—only to discover her purpose, grow with the organization, and lead HR across 11 countries.

• Scaling Culture with Purpose, Not Just Process [00:06:50]
Rapid growth from 600 to 5,500 staff taught her that integrating people and cultures—not just systems—is key to transformation in global school acquisitions.

• Listening as a Leadership Strategy for Integration [00:07:52]
She reveals how listening became a core principle in shaping culture post-acquisition, with local schools teaching as much as they were being integrated.

• Purpose-Driven Identity Across 70+ Nationalities [00:09:00]
Abhilasha breaks down the group’s deep purpose study that defined their identity as a “global, interconnected community that thrives on learning through diversity.”

•  From Manual Reviews to Growth Ownership [00:18:10]
By digitizing performance reviews across 67 campuses, educators shifted from fear to ownership of their development—elevating the employee experience globally.

 

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Unifying Diverse Cultures with a Singular Purpose

Abhilasha Deshmukh, Group HR Director at Global Schools Group, shares her journey of unifying 67 campuses across 11 countries under a cohesive organizational purpose. Her insight into integrating cultural diversity while maintaining a unified purpose is noteworthy. She describes this undertaking as a "journey of discovery," highlighting how their expansion was not just an operational growth but a cultural one. Abhilasha states, "The Global Schools Group thrives on learning through scale diversity."

Upon acquiring new schools, Abhilasha and her team realized the necessity of bringing together varied cultural contexts under one umbrella without erasing the unique identity of each school. This challenge pushed them to ask, "Who are we?" This deep introspective question led to a purpose study, aligning the organization's core mission with its diverse body of educators and students. As Abhilasha notes,

"If you go with an intention that you know it all, growth is not going to happen."

The synthesis of diverse cultural practices with a global purpose has allowed the organizations within the Global Schools Group to thrive. By establishing a relatable purpose, they have crafted a community that learns and evolves together. The result is a rich tapestry of shared best practices, yielding a learning ecosystem that resonates both globally and locally.

 

Empowering Leadership through Connection and Communication

One of the standout themes from the discussion is the importance placed on building authentic connections through open communication. Abhilasha emphasizes the strategic significance of maintaining these connections in an expansive and predominantly educational organization. Her efforts to engage through town halls and one-on-one interactions echo her belief in the power of listening and learning.

Deshmukh’s strategic undertaking involved sprawling travel agendas and time investment, affirming her belief that "being with people, talking to them, learning from them" is fundamental. This hands-on approach allowed her to engage directly with educators and align their understanding with the group's overarching purpose, strengthening the entire organizational fabric.

Additionally, by leveraging technological platforms like EngageRocket, Abhilasha could accurately gauge employee needs and facilitate informed communication reflective of diverse viewpoints. Sharing organizational intentions and pursuing feedback on a strategic level encouraged employees to feel invested in their growth and part of a much bigger vision.

This approach not only reshapes the traditional HR role but positions HR as a change facilitator within organizational structures. As she aptly mentions, "The future is creating a great employee experience, empowering people, giving them a safe space and giving them that authority to take ownership of their own growth within the organization."

 

Integrating Technology for a Holistic Educational Experience

Education and technology are increasingly intertwining, creating new paradigms and avenues for delivering knowledge. Abhilasha sees AI and digital integration as a promising frontier. She asserts the importance of AI in reducing administrative workloads that tether educators, allowing them to focus on high-value educational tasks. She emphasizes, "AI can play such a big enablement role...so everybody can then think strategic.

The proactive adoption of AI in the Global Schools Group aims to personalize the learning experience and streamline workflows. This shift not only enhances teaching methodologies but also empowers teachers and students alike, whether through personalized learning paths or data-driven insights.

Abhilasha recognizes the role of AI as transformative, asserting that it is critical for relevance in a fast-paced world. The fusion of AI strategies with educational frameworks is predicted to transform classroom dynamics, faculty roles, and learning potential ubiquitously.

The movement towards integrating technologically advanced platforms also includes a revamped approach to performance evaluations. Recognizing the demands for more digitally native and efficient processes, the Group has digitized performance reviews across all campuses. This bold move marks a significant step towards modernizing HR systems while respecting the unique educational cultures they serve.

To achieve leadership excellence in a sprawling global educational organization like the Global Schools Group, fostering a purposeful connection at all organizational levels is imperative. Abhilasha underscores the necessity of viewing people as the organization's greatest assets, aligning educational methodologies to cultural uniqueness, and embracing technological advancements as key drivers of future success. These strategies reinforce a thriving learning environment where continuous growth is cultivated on all fronts. These foundational pillars deserve reflection and implementation in any learning-focused environment to ensure holistic and purposeful growth.

 

"For us, AI is a big enabler, right? So if you want to be relevant in this world, you have to adapt." — Abhilasha Deshmukh

 

Related Resources

• Connect with Abhilasha Deshmukh

• Connect with Dorothy Yiu

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MEET OUR GUEST

Abhilasha Deshmukh

 

As Group HR Director at Global Schools Foundation, Abhilasha leads people strategy, talent development, and organisational transformation across 12 international school brands in 11 countries, supporting more than 5,500 employees worldwide. Her career spans over two decades in senior HR leadership roles across Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, Japan, South Korea, and the UK, with expertise in digital HR transformation, global workforce expansion, and inclusive culture building. A certified ICF Professional Coach, Abhilasha is passionate about leadership development, coaching, and creating thriving workplaces. She holds a Master’s in Human Resource Management from Savitribai Phule Pune University.