Blue Fjord Leaders Blog
The Voice for Insightful Leadership with Shelley Row, P.E.
Put Sleep on Your To-Do List
It's another long day at the office. You work late and there is still so much left to do. It's never ending. You get home late and are up early the next morning. Back at the office to chase down the to-do list. Somewhere along the way, busy-ness became a badge of...
Learning from the Danube: The Role of Stories, Purpose and Information in Decisions
Once upon a time, we sat together on our piano bench listening to a recording of Johann Strauss’ Blue Danube Waltz. The music floated along – pretty, but unremarkable to my school-girl ears. My dad, a school band director, explained to me that the music represented...
Learning from the Danube: The Role of Stories, Purpose and Information in Decisions
Once upon a time, we sat together on our piano bench listening to a recording of Johann Strauss’ Blue Danube Waltz. The music floated along – pretty, but unremarkable to my school-girl ears. My dad, a school band director, explained to me that the music represented...
Shelley’s VideoCasts Leading Change Series
Watch and listen to Shelley's New VideoCast Series on Leading Change. No matter what your organization does, change can be tricky. But change is part of organizational life. Our world is changing faster than ever. The astute leader must understand change and...
Leadership Lessons from EMTs
By the time I arrived, she was groggy, clammy and complaining of chest pains. The emergency management technicians (EMTs) drove up to my mother's house in spite of me giving them the wrong address. Red lights reflected off the windows as they pulled into the driveway....
Three Reasons that “What Matters” Motivates
How many cathedrals are enough? After traveling over Europe I had enough of soaring cathedrals with vast interiors filled with church art and relics. But, my husband, born and raised a Catholic, has a cathedral fetish. And so it was that we walked around the outside...
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
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...
Three Steps to Resource Yourself to Be Calm Instead of Testy
It’s going to be a tough meeting. The topic is controversial and you feel strongly about the outcome. Plus, there’s a person in the meeting who routinely unnerves you. It’s the kind of situation that could easily cause you to over-react and not behave at your best. ...
Tips from a Tea Kettle: How to Reframe an Over-Reaction into a Considered Response
There it is – a tea kettle. Shiny and copper. It sits quietly until the heat is on. Suddenly, unexpectedly, it erupts, “Eeeeeeeeee!” There you are. Sitting quietly at home or at work doing what you’re doing. Something happens – a cross word, a sideways glance, an...
Get a Free Copy of
The Handbook for Technical Leaders
Ten Top Skills for Managers