What if your biggest career breakthrough had nothing to do with your technical skills?
Chirag Panjikar, a Stanford-educated engineer and executive at John Deere, has spent 20 years leading digital transformation, supply chain modernization, and executive coaching. But his biggest leadership lesson? People and trust matter more than any technology.
In this episode, we discuss:
✅ How to build trust as a leader when employees don’t believe in leadership
✅ The secret to managing large teams (Chirag led 250+ people!)
✅ Why technical skills alone won’t get you to the top
✅ Coaching vs. mentorship – What’s the real difference?
✅ How to navigate career transitions & define your professional identity
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Drop a 🔥 in the comments if you agree that leadership is more than technical skills! What’s YOUR biggest leadership lesson?
📎 Connect with Chirag:
🔗 www.qacchua.com
🔗 www.linkedin.com/in/chirag-panjikar-5807035
📎 Connect with Devon:
🔗 www.devoncoombs.com
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/devoncoombs
00:00 Introduction to Chirag's Journey
01:33 Early Career and Return to India
05:38 Leadership and Coaching Philosophy
08:36 Building Trust and Safe Spaces
13:02 Challenges in Leadership
18:00 The Role of a Coach
23:19 Personal Coaching Experience
30:11 The Power of Coaching Moments
30:54 Confidential Coaching Example
31:51 Balancing Career and Family
35:19 Trends in Leadership and Coaching
36:28 The Changing Employee-Employer Relationship
40:08 Leveraging Technology in Coaching
43:07 The Importance of Long-Term Thinking
47:49 Future of Coaching and Personal Growth
51:39 Final Thoughts and Takeaways
#Leadership #ExecutiveCoaching #CareerGrowth #TrustInLeadership #DigitalTransformation #Podcast #Stanford #LeadershipDevelopment #ProfessionalGrowth