Blue Fjord Leaders Blog
The Voice for Insightful Leadership with Shelley Row, P.E.
Reach Your Goals: Leadership Insights from a Kayak
It was a beautiful fall day in Keystone, Colorado. The aspen were gold and the sun highlighted the crevasses in the mountains that guarded the lake. It was a perfect time to rent a kayak and paddle around under the blue sky. My love affair with Kayaking really began...
Three Tips to Increase Productivity
Rain. All day. Grey and dreary. Yay! I love a rainy day. Why would anyone find a damp, overcast day appealing? Here's what I observe: On a rainy day, the to-do list is shorter because some things can't be done or are less convenient in the rain. I focus my attention...
Four Tips to Manage Your Energy Drains and Fillers
“You’re doing what?” The question came from my girlfriends during our morning run. I had explained my plan to attend a weekend meditation retreat. It wasn’t the meditation retreat they reacted to. It was the plan: Friday night concert (we already had tickets);...
Mental Flexibility: Stay Calm and Find the Workaround
It happened for the second time. I arrived to speak at the conference workshop and realized that I left the mail-back cards and envelopes at home...again. (Yes, I have a packing checklist; yes, I used the checklist; yes, I still overlooked it.) That feeling of panic...
Top Leadership Tip: Just Care and Be Nice
Some time ago, I spoke at and facilitated an Executive Leadership Program for a notable association. The speakers were a who’s who in that industry--successful business people with a solid track record. There were sessions on responding to RFPs, auditing and...
Customer Service Week: Lessons from Helicopter Pilots
They started with two helicopters, an office crammed into the corner of the hangar filled with beat up furniture. Today, there are eight helicopters, a flight simulator, an office building outside the hangar and services offered in three locations across the country....
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
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,...
10 Things Every Technical Person Should Know when They Become a Manager
Whether your technical expertise is in engineering (like mine), law, finance, technology or science, we technical folks don’t have good reputations as managers. When a technically accomplished person is promoted into management, suddenly the old skills that made us...
Is Your Leadership Falling Victim to the Villain?
Is your leadership falling victim to the villain? “What villain?” you say. It’s a dastardly villain that limits your leadership potential and short-circuits your effectiveness. Particularly in technical fields, we’ve been trained to go along with the villain. Here’s...
4 Anchors To Weather Any Storm
It was supposed to be an easy cruise. That's what they told me. The 47' Morris sailboat, sailed the Newport to Bermuda race and finished second in her class. We were part of the crew sailing her back to Newport. And, it was my first sailing trip. To say that the trip...
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