Blue Fjord Leaders Blog
The Voice for Insightful Leadership with Shelley Row, P.E.
Know the Six Influencers Who Impact Your Effectiveness
Our new boss arrived with an agenda and he wasn’t timid about it. It seemed that he gathered input from everyone but us. Because he was influenced by an array of people unfamiliar to us, the work environment became challenging, to say the least. Through this...
Know Your Boss! Five Things to Learn About Them to Make Your Work Life (and Theirs) Easier
Teresa wanted to see the big picture strategy before discussing specifics. Tom wanted general ideas with time to think before deciding. Paul wanted to give orders that were followed to the “T”.
To be successful, each of these bosses required a unique approach. The approach that worked for one wouldn’t stand a chance with another. You can save time and frustration by giving serious consideration to the approach, topics and personal agendas of your boss. Here are five areas to study about your boss so that you can be more effective in your job. Let’s face it, a happy boss makes for happier days at work!
What are the Drivers Behind Your Behaviors?
Imagine a Ferrari. It looks sleek and fast. Now imagine a Ferrari with a Ford Focus engine. It still looks sleek but its performance is impacted by the mechanics under the hood. It’s not so different for you. The influences “under your hood” dramatically impact your...
Can You See Your Humps?
Can You See Your Humps? Your Strengths and Communication Styles? Keep Reading To Learn Here. How do you behave at work? What work style and communication traits are associated with you? There’s an African proverb, “The camel never sees its own humps, but that of its...
Do You Know What Makes Your Staff Tick? Use these Five Questions to Keep Them Ticking
When you download a new app, buy a new phone or acquire the latest cool technology like Alexa, you learn to use it. You explore its capabilities, you learn how it works, and over time you learn how it can assist you. Do you make that effort with your staff? Do you...
Know Your Staff! Four Briefing Styles that Give You Clues to Their Superpower
Think about your first management position. What was initially on your mind? For most of us, we dove into the technical work. What are the projects? Are they on time and on budget? What are the technical challenges? What is the financial picture for each? For sure,...
Blue Fjord Leaders Newsletter with Shelley Row, PE, CSP
Your place for short, easy-to-read articles on management, leadership, decision-making, and personal & professional development.
Featured Blog Posts
Being the Smartest Person in the Room isn’t Enough. Now what?
Why smart people struggle in leadership positions & why technical experts need people skills You sensed it for some time. You know technically what is the right answer. And it’s not enough. You sense that you aren’t as effective or influential as you should...
The attributes of a good manager
From Technical Expert to Manager: How will you bridge the gap? It’s no surprise that the transition from technical expert to manager is a struggle. Leaders in technical organizations tell stories of exceptional engineers who never make it as a manager. Perhaps you...
Tone Matters: How a Leader’s Words Influence Good & Bad Behaviors
Tone at the Top Matters: What Tone Are You Setting? As a manager, what you say and how you say it drastically affects your team. Fix bad behavior and set the tone for office culture by learning from these mistakes. Daniel was the new boss and he came in like a...
2020 Lessons in Leadership
Whew! What a year it’s been. There’s nothing like a world-wide pandemic to put a spotlight on good (and bad) leadership. Here’s my list of 2020 leadership lessons and observations. How do yours stack up? Be ready to pivot. Each day I’m impressed by the creativity...
Get a Free Copy of
The Handbook for Technical Leaders
Ten Top Skills for Managers