Episode 26: Busy Calendar ≠ Effective Leader: Reclaiming Authority and Time in Pharma & Supply Chain with Viraj Mehta

Your calendar is not a measure of your impact. In complex organisations — pharma, life sciences, supply chain — it has quietly become a measure of your fear. Fear of missing a decision. Fear of losing visibility. Fear of what happens if you're not in the room.This conversation is perfect for supply chain and procurement professionals who are technically strong, organisationally aware, and chronically over-scheduled  and who know, somewhere, that working harder is not the same as leading well.Sara Mobarhanfard is joined by Viraj Mehta, Global Procurement Head at DSM-Firmenich and a techno-commercial leader with 20+ years across pharma, life sciences, and global supply chain. Viraj manages a €900M+ spend portfolio and leads 85+ professionals across global geographies. She speaks from the inside — not as an observer of these dynamics, but as someone who has navigated them at the highest level.What we cover:🔹 Why supply chain professionals burn out at a higher rate — and what resilience actually requires in this function 🔹 The difference between being seen and being effective — and why confusing the two keeps strong performers at mid-level 🔹 The meeting diet: how to audit your calendar and reclaim focus time without losing organisational visibility 🔹 The strategic no — how to decline meetings assertively and what it signals to senior leadership when you do 🔹 Why 10 people in a meeting is a trust problem, not a scheduling problem 🔹 Leading a team of 80+ across global geographies — what changes, what breaks, and what you have to do deliberately 🔹 The qualities Viraj looks for when identifying future leaders within her own team 🔹 The difference between performance (what you do) and leadership potential (how you do it) 🔹 Why the ability to unlearn is as critical as the ability to learn — especially in a function moving as fast as supply chainAbout Viraj Mehta Viraj Mehta is a techno-commercial people leader in the life sciences industry with 20+ years across pharma, procurement, and global supply chain. Viraj is a business centric techno-commercial leader in the Life Sciences industry with a passion to positively impact people driven transformation. At her core, she is a playmaker, known for her decisive leadership style that inspires diverse and inclusive culture. Viraj acts as a coach, mentor and career sponsor in various networking forums. Viraj lives in Basel with her husband and a teenage daughter. Reading, music and long walks in nature are very close to her heart. 🔗 Connect with Viraj on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/virajmehta-exec/-----🔗 Podcast hub: https://the-heart-of-the-equation.carrd.co 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4su6RdGwygkkWJ0ceZe2g8 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-heart-of-the-equation/id1794644198 Helpful Resources📌 Sara's LinkedIn article on types of bosses that block your career: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-types-bosses-who-block-your-career-advancement-1-mobarhanfard-tcyre📌 Free resource — 7 Barriers to Leadership Promotion: https://www.narosibcoaching.com/leadership-promotion-freebie📌 Free resource : Finding time for growth ( for overworked and overwhelmed managers) https://www.narosibcoaching.com/time-management-free-guide📌 Book a Success Roadmap Call with Sara ( for leaders and managers) : https://www.narosibcoaching.com/contact📌 Grow your coaching business with Sara www.narosib.com🎙️ The Heart of the Equation is a podcast for STEM professionals navigating leadership, career growth, and the human dynamics of complex organisations. Hosted by Sara Mobarhanfard, Anisa Zafar, and Pragati Siddhanti.🎙️ Listen & Subscribe:📲 Connect with us:Sara Mobarhanfard:  *Leadership Coaching for corporate professionals: narosibcoaching.comAnisa Zafar: treeoflifeguru.comPragati Siddhanti: myswissstory.com🔗 Learn more about this podcast : https://the-heart-of-the-equation.carrd.co🎙️ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4su6RdGwygkkWJ0ceZe2g8🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-heart-of-the-equation/id1794644198