Blue Fjord Leaders Blog
The Voice for Insightful Leadership with Shelley Row, P.E.
Elephant in the Room? Three Reasons Not to Ignore It
The workplace is filled with awkward situations that are hard to discuss. Perhaps there’s been an unpleasant exchange between co-workers and there’s a lingering undertone of anger. Maybe someone didn’t get the expected promotion and remain disappointed. Perhaps...
Over-thinking It? Use Insight to Resolve the Nagging Feeling
When over-thinking it, have you ever felt that there’s just more going on than meets the eye? There is. This video shows why you need to honor that feeling and dig in for more information. Your brain is trying to bring insight to you if you are willing to listen....
Pushing a Wheel Chair: Lessons in Servant Leadership
I'm not a caretaker. I seem to have missed that gene even as a woman. But then came the diagnosis - lung cancer - again. It was my husband. Now, I would push his wheelchair into radiation; fetch whatever he needed, and run errands in the weeks until he passed away. As...
The Secret to Finding Your Most Meaningful Goals
Have you ever noticed that you are more likely to do the things you like to do? Given the choice between doing something we have to do and doing something that we want to do, it's much easier to choose the latter. It simply feels good to do the thing that resonates....
Know Your Red Flag Feelings…and Don’t React!
My computer crashed…again. I was right in the middle of writing a big proposal. And just like that, I become the snippy, curt version of Shelley instead of the attentive, polite Shelley. I’ve been triggered. This is not a defect of character – it’s something that...
Don’t Overlook Key Issues: Three Steps to Use Feelings to Point the Way
Have you ever heard, “There’s no place for feelings at work?” We like to think that we can block out feelings at work but we can’t. Feelings are an integral part of who we are. Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor noted that while many of us think of ourselves as thinking...
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
Increase Focus with a Nature Break
It was a hustle bustle morning. I was in Austin preparing for a client meeting. I was downtown, and they were in South Austin. It required a drive down Interstate 35 in rush hour to reach their office. Traffic was stop, start, stop, start for several miles before the...
Words Matter: Three Steps to Using Words to Get What You Want
“I’m trying not to be worried. It will be fine.” If I said it once, I said it a hundred times. I said it to my friends. I said it to my work colleagues. And most importantly, I said it to myself. Looking back, I thought I was being positive. “It will all be fine.”...
For Effective Leaders: Five Reasons Why “Feelings” is Not a Dirty Word
“There’s no place for feelings at work!” I heard it frequently as a young engineer. Thankfully, I learned this admonition was impossible to achieve and very bad for my career. Today, after interviewing 76 effective leaders, it is clear that the skillful use of...
Bravery in Action
We were in Mikki William’s speaker school. The room was filled with accomplished professionals from a variety of businesses, each there for their unique reasons. One was Barbara. Tall and striking, Barbara’s goal was to overcome her anxiety about speaking. On day two,...
Get a Free Copy of
The Handbook for Technical Leaders
Ten Top Skills for Managers