Blue Fjord Leaders Blog
The Voice for Insightful Leadership with Shelley Row, P.E.
The Facts Speak for Themselves. Do They?
“Just the facts: they speak for themselves.” That's the approach many take when they want to persuade someone to their point of view. But do they speak for themselves? Not so much. From my technical background, I have observed a fact-based approach to persuasion many...
Collaboration: Four Tips Learned from Packing a Truck
It was hot...really, hot. In front of us was a large SUV with the back open, waiting expectantly. Behind us were boxes, a chair (really, a chaise lounge), a table and an assortment of odds and ends anticipating the ride from Texas to Annapolis inside the SUV. Our...
Perfect is Over-Rated
Six little girls about eight-years old, a mom with her small son, and me and my friend, Patti. We were at Painting With a Twist in South Austin. A blank, white canvas and a paper plate (a perfect substitute for a palette) with puddles of paint in vibrant colors was in...
Four Ways to Counteract Unintended Bias
Everyone has biases. The only thing worse than having a bias is not realizing that you do. It is in the knowing that there is opportunity to manage unintended bias. Humans are designed to crave relatedness. Millions of years ago your tribe was key to survival. Quickly...
Three Paddleboarding Tips for Leadership
It was a perfect, sunny day on Aberdeen Creek just off the Chesapeake Bay. There, in front of me, floating placidly, was a stand-up paddleboard. This was my first experience with a stand-up paddleboard. It looked unassuming but I was suspicious. How do I approach...
It’s Just a Croissant: Three Steps to Keeping Perspective
It was a few weeks before my husband, Mike, died. He woke from his nap snickering. “What is it, Sweetie?” He smiled and said he’d had a funny dream, “I was in a fight with a priest over my croissant.” At the time, Mike was barely eating. I could coax him to eat a...
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
Who’s Here? What Do You Really Know About Someone Else?
I admit up front that I’m not good at recognizing the nuances of people. That’s why I want to share this tip with you. It helps me and it’s likely to be valuable to you, too. My step-daughter, Linnea Miron, is the CEO of Real Wellness. She and I talked about the...
Three Ways to Shift Your Perspective to Get a Kaleidoscopic View
We were having dinner at a friend’s house and admiring his family memorabilia neatly arrayed in the bookshelves. There were the kid’s sailing trophies, family photos, delicate antique demitasse cups and a bright blue tube. A bright blue tube? “What’s that?” I asked....
Whether it’s a presentation, meeting or training: Design for engagement and retention
You've been there: a dull presentation; a pointless meeting; a boring training program. And, maybe you've given a tedious presentation, presided over an unenthusiastic meeting or provided training when no one seemed engaged. It doesn't have to be that way and the fix...
Five Steps to Keep Staff on the Road to Their Goals
It was a dark, stormy night. Rain was falling in buckets as we drove to Houston to pick up my sister at the airport for the holidays. The white lane lines were scarcely visible. We had a general outline of the road but were stressed because of the limited visibility....
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