by Shelley Row | Oct 22, 2024 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
You work in a technical field, and you know your stuff. You are respected for your knowledge in the field. And then, you are moved into a leadership position. In an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, new skills are needed. If you are like most, little has been...
by Shelley Row | Aug 21, 2024 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
Accountability. It’s a hot topic of conversation and frequently a topic filled with frustration. Managers complain that staff don’t take responsibility for completing a job on time and with high quality, or that staff don’t take ownership for the work. It is easy to...
by Shelley Row | Jun 25, 2024 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
You have goals for profit, pressure from clients, and expenses to manage. In that environment, how can you justify the financial and time investment in leadership training? After all, you need your top people working on projects that generate profit. In a competitive...
by Shelley Row | May 7, 2024 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
Whether on television, social media, or in newspapers, it seems we’ve lost a sense of respect. Increasingly with clients, I hear concern about the lack of civility at work. Impoliteness, one-sided viewpoints, and terse language create a tense mood which isn’t helpful...
by Shelley Row | Apr 1, 2024 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
Managing stress during Stress Awareness month – that stresses me out. It seems like everyone talks about being constantly busy and tired. It’s a feeling of perpetual motion without much room to breathe. While the chaos can feel out of control, you are in...
by Shelley Row | Mar 14, 2024 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
In the modern workplace, where collaboration, innovation, and productivity are paramount, the concept of psychological safety has emerged as a crucial factor in creating successful and high-performing teams. But what is psychological safety? Psychological safety...
by Shelley Row | Feb 27, 2024 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
Employee Appreciation Day is March 1st. To what extent do your employees feel appreciated? What steps are you taking to celebrate their efforts? This is a good time to reflect on your practices and be reminded of the importance of creating an appreciative environment....
by Shelley Row | Feb 6, 2024 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
Valentine’s Day reminds us of the importance of human connection which is at the core of the transition from tech professional to a leader. To become a successful leader, think of it like a love affair with professional growth. Every good love affair has moments...
by Shelley Row | Jan 6, 2024 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
As the calendar flips to a new year, you have a unique opportunity to reflect, recalibrate, and set the tone for the months ahead. For you, this may mean managing your personal to-do lists and orchestrating the efforts of your team. You can feel like the circus...
by Shelley Row | Dec 6, 2023 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
As the holiday season approaches, you, as a leader, are presented with a unique opportunity to embody and promote compassion within your teams and organizations. While the festive spirit can bring joy and excitement, it can also be a challenging time for many. As a...
by Shelley Row | Nov 14, 2023 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
As we approach the end of the year, strategic leaders and managers are gearing up to equip their teams with the skills and knowledge necessary for success in an ever-evolving technological landscape. The importance of investing in employee training cannot be...
by Shelley Row | Oct 9, 2023 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
Complex decision-making can be a treacherous undertaking that has the potential to shape organizations’ destinies. Managers who are making these critical decisions heavily rely on data analysis and input from diverse sources. However, many managers don’t realize...
by Shelley Row | Sep 6, 2023 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
Over the past two years, one trend has emerged as a transformative force in the modern workplace: the rise of the hybrid workforce. Millions of people and organizations around the world are now splitting their working hours between their home and office. As we...
by Shelley Row | Aug 8, 2023 | Business Skills, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership
In our current, fast-paced and ever-changing professional landscape, leadership development has emerged as a crucial aspect of personal and organizational growth. Mentorship programs have gained significant attention as an effective tool for fostering leadership...
by Shelley Row | Jul 19, 2023 | Business Skills, communication, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Foundational Skills, Leadership, Self-awareness
In today’s dynamic business landscape, organizational change is inevitable, especially during company acquisitions. The process of merging two companies brings forth a plethora of challenges, and one critical aspect that requires careful attention is the impact...
by Shelley Row | Jun 13, 2023 | Business Skills, communication, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Foundational Skills, Leadership, Self-awareness
Conflict can be a problem, but guess what? It’s also an opportunity for growth and stronger teamwork. As a leader, you know that conflict is inevitable. Here we’ll explore practical strategies to handle conflict. We’ll also discuss the importance of...
by Shelley Row | May 23, 2023 | Business Skills, communication, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Foundational Skills, Leadership, Self-awareness
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing various industries, and engineering is no exception. As engineers, it is crucial to understand the evolving landscape of AI and its intersection with Emotional Intelligence (EI), particularly in the context of better...
by Shelley Row | Apr 25, 2023 | Business Skills, communication, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership, Self-awareness
Empowering middle managers plays a crucial role in driving organizational success, as they are responsible for executing strategy, leading teams, and driving innovation. According to a recent article by McKinsey & Company, they face a unique set of challenges,...
by Shelley Row | Mar 28, 2023 | Business Skills, communication, Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership, Self-awareness
In recent years, there has been a growing concern in the modern workplace about the phenomenon of “quiet quitting”. This trend is characterized by employees doing only the bare minimum required for their jobs, with no extra effort, enthusiasm, or engagement. According...
by Shelley Row | Feb 21, 2023 | Business Skills, communication, Communication skills, Employee Engagement, Leadership
When it comes to events, the term “keynote” is often associated with a central and critical aspect of the program. This term has roots in the world of music where the keynote is the central or fundamental tone that sets the pitch for the other notes in a piece of...
by Shelley Row | Jan 19, 2023 | communication, Communication skills, engineer, Leadership, Leadership in Engineering, Self-awareness, Team building
As technical professionals, we often find ourselves in situations where we need to have difficult discussions with our colleagues, superiors, or subordinates. These types of conversations can be uncomfortable, but they are necessary for effective communication and...
by Shelley Row | Dec 27, 2022 | Leadership in Engineering, Self-awareness
Take stock of the past year and consider all you are grateful for and then plan out what you will hope for in 2023. If you want to grow leadership skills consider our upcoming 60 Day Leadership Challenge. Hopeful and Grateful This week is one of my favorite weeks of...
by Shelley Row | Nov 8, 2022 | Communication skills, Foundational Skills, Leadership in Engineering, Self-awareness
The phrase “It’s hard to read the label when you’re inside the jar” helps us realize how difficult it is to assess how we are acting and being perceived. Self-awareness is critical for success in any role, but especially in management and...
by Shelley Row | Sep 13, 2022 | Employee Engagement, Foundational Skills, Leadership in Engineering
Employee retention is a hot topic in the business world right now. Every company wants to find ways to keep their employees from leaving, but it’s not always easy. There are a lot of factors that go into whether or not an employee will stay with a company, but...
by Shelley Row | Jul 12, 2022 | Foundational Skills, Self-awareness
Lately, there’s been a common thread that runs through conversations with clients and colleagues. Maybe you’ve noticed it, too. We start the call by asking, “How’s it going?” Inevitably the response is a variation of “it’s so busy,” “I’m so busy,” “we can’t keep up,”...
by Shelley Row | Jun 14, 2022 | Communication skills, Employee Engagement, Neuroscience
The recent LinkedIn Workforce Confidence Survey which canvasses roughly 5,000 US workforce members every two weeks noted a six-point drop in the optimism that employees felt about their employer’s business. While there are concerns about inflation, LinkedIn writers...
by Shelley Row | May 17, 2022 | Communication skills
How to replace suppression phrases with validation to improve communication “You’re getting upset over nothing.” That’s what my boss told me after a particularly difficult project meeting where everything seemed to go wrong. I’m sure she meant well, but her words...
by Shelley Row | May 3, 2022 | Communication skills, Uncategorized
How to be a curious, not judgmental leader Walt Whitman said, “Be curious; not judgmental.” The word, curiosity, evokes a sense of openness and flexibility. That’s a good way to approach interpersonal communication. In my courses, we define the goal of communication...
by Shelley Row | Apr 5, 2022 | Decision-Making, Self-awareness, Team building
Good Judgment Empowers Leadership Teams — Here’s How to Use Information, Experience & Gut Feel when Making Decisions “You weren’t promoted for your technical skills. You were promoted for your judgment.” That’s what my boss told me shortly after my...
by Shelley Row | Mar 22, 2022 | Employee Culture, Leadership in Engineering, Neuroscience
Here’s how you can train managers for employee retention & satisfaction You’re trying to do the right thing by investing in training for your staff. But is it sticking? If it’s not sticking, then it’s not making a difference for them, for you or the...
by Shelley Row | Feb 22, 2022 | Employee Culture, Leadership in Engineering, Self-awareness
Use these 3 tips for better management training It’s National Engineers Week! Let’s take a moment to celebrate engineers and the value they bring into the world. And let’s look at how to get more from that value. Think about it. Engineers design, build and...
by Shelley Row | Jan 25, 2022 | Emotional intelligence, Leadership in Engineering
Leadership after COVID demands a new approach — here’s how to manage with empathy. Management & leadership is changing. Have you noticed? Check out this article from Fast Company on the “rare breed” of managers who are “original.” The article came to me from...
by Shelley Row | Dec 9, 2021 | Emotional intelligence, Leadership in Engineering
When resources are limited and uncertainty abounds, clients want to work with organizations they trust. Now, more than ever, your technical managers need enhanced interpersonal skills so that you are the trusted company with whom clients want to work. After all, there...
by Shelley Row | Oct 25, 2021 | Employee Culture, Foundational Skills, Neuroscience
So much about work has changed in the last 18 months — how we think about it, how we talk about it, even how we simply get it done has endured a cultural shift with steep demands. As we round the corner into the end of year, here we go yet again. Managers and business...
by Shelley Row | Sep 13, 2021 | Emotional intelligence, Leadership in Engineering, Neuroscience
Photo by Paul Green on Unsplash “Power through it” is quick advice for hard or tedious work tasks. Our CEO Shelley Row breaks down the diminishing return of determination and how to reset your brain for more productivity. Expectation vs Reality...
by Shelley Row | Aug 28, 2021 | Decision-Making, Emotional intelligence, Leadership in Engineering, Neuroscience
In leadership positions it’s inevitable that situations arise and provoke emotional reactions. Some emotions are low grade but others are like five-alarm fires. We are taught to suppress our emotions in the workplace in order to be seen as credible, strong and...
by Shelley Row | Aug 13, 2021 | Communication skills, Emotional intelligence, Employee Culture, Self-awareness
Improve your team with these tips for thoughtful management Kindness is natural but it isn’t always easy. Use these management techniques for kindness to improve your team’s morale and performance. Every day it was the same. As the postal carrier...
by Shelley Row | Jul 30, 2021 | Decision-Making, Emotional intelligence, Leadership in Engineering, Self-awareness
What’s your leadership philosophy? On paper, it seems easy to say you’re committed to fairness, profitability and something to do with sustainability. The workday, however, can feel like an unending battle between long-range vision and a stacked to-do list. When we...
by Shelley Row | Jul 13, 2021 | Decision-Making, Emotional intelligence, Self-awareness
Anxious? Rebalance your day with mindfulness and meaningful work instead of checking off a to-do list. Here’s how I changed my perspective and realigned my vision for Blue Fjord Leaders. Understanding My To-Do List Anxiety It was the first morning of my...
by Shelley Row | Jun 29, 2021 | Employee Culture, Employee Engagement, Leadership During COVID19
Employee retention. It’s a conundrum for even the most-seasoned managers. Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen an extensive uptick in conversations about The Great Resignation, as well as the what and how of keeping people in-house. Fewer are asking why everyone is...
by Shelley Row | Jun 17, 2021 | Decision-Making, Employee Culture, Problem-solving
Close your eyes and imagine the sound of crashing waves, the feeling of sun on your face, and a cool drink in your hand. For some, this anticipation of vacation brings feelings of happiness and relaxation — for many more, it means added stress and a never-ending list...
by Shelley Row | May 24, 2021 | Communication skills, Employee Culture, Problem-solving
Why you have to address personality conflicts at work Have you ever worked in an office where a performance problem went unaddressed? Have you ever watched personality conflicts negatively impact productivity and no one does anything about it? As a top performer, have...
by Shelley Row | May 10, 2021 | Emotional intelligence, Self-awareness
We’ve been talking about what it takes for your organization to run like a well-oiled machine. In our discussion the “oil” is communication skills. Previously, I wrote about three communication tips that grease the gears: listening skills, diffusing...
by Shelley Row | Apr 26, 2021 | Communication skills, Leadership in Engineering
How to be a boss that is a good listener You want your office to run like a finely-tuned machine, each gear meshing seamlessly with the others. This level of performance requires the WD-40 of organizations – communication skills and listening skills specifically. In...
by Shelley Row | Apr 14, 2021 | Communication skills, Team building
Want to get more stuff done? Here’s what it takes. You just want to get stuff done. That’s what I hear from the technical professionals I work with. Run into a problem? Let’s solve it and move on. These motivated staff are like high performance gears whirring at top...
by Shelley Row | Mar 16, 2021 | Communication skills, Foundational Skills, Leadership in Engineering, Self-awareness
How this aspect of self-awareness is a critical function in leadership How do you show up? A few weeks ago we introduced you to the Blue Fjord Leadership System. Over time, I’ll write about each of the skills starting with the foundational skills. Today, is...
by Shelley Row | Feb 15, 2021 | Leadership in Engineering, Team building
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...
by Shelley Row | Feb 1, 2021 | Leadership in Engineering
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...
by Shelley Row | Jan 18, 2021 | Communication skills, Leadership in Engineering
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...
by Shelley Row | Dec 17, 2020 | Leadership, Leadership During COVID19
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...
