S10 Ep 13: How to Bring Purpose and Performance Together with Madhavi Bhasin

The Business of Being Brilliant

What does it really mean to fuse purpose and performance at work, and why does it matter for both organisations and individuals? In this episode, Helen sits down with Madhavi Bhasin, global HR leader and Head of Purpose-Driven Performance at Udemy, the AI-powered skills development platform, to explore how companies can put employees’ sense of meaning and fulfillment at the heart of high performance without compromising results.

Together, they chat about:

⭐️ What “purpose-driven performance” really means and how to make it more than just a company catchphrase;

⭐️ Practical tools and examples for managers to reframe performance reviews, including powerful questions to put employees’ experiences at the centre;

⭐️ What it takes to change ingrained habits and enable more human conversations at work;

⭐️ The “muscle building” process: how Udemy is iteratively training and supporting managers to master more empathetic, people-focused conversations;

⭐️ How purpose and high performance work hand-in-hand, shifting from compliance-driven reviews to collaborative goal-setting and a shared vision;

⭐️ Real-life feedback and early signals from Udemy’s new system, including rising manager effectiveness scores and greater clarity about goals;

⭐️ Why everyone regardless of industry role or seniority should regularly reflect on their legacy and what makes work truly fulfilling.

Tune in for a fresh, practical take on redesigning performance management that unlocks engagement, clarity, and impact for everyone involved.

About Madhavi Bhasin

Madhavi is a leader in the Human Resources space for over 15 years with experience in leading People Teams, organizational and individual capacity building programs across the globe. In starting her career with academic research and navigating through non-profit and consulting space, Madhavi brings a systems centric view to solving organizational challenges. According to Madhavi, any organization's unique competitive advantage is their talent and thriving teams are the easiest way to achieve organizational goals. She works to ensure that business outcomes are driven by talent strategies and equitable processes. Madhavi was born and raised in India and has lived in the San Francisco Bay for the past 17 years.

Connect with Madhavi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhavi-bhasin/

Explore Udemy, the AI-powered skills development platform: www.udemy.com

Links:

Visit Helen’s website www.helenbeedham.com.

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