Blue Fjord Leaders Blog
The Voice for Insightful Leadership with Shelley Row, P.E.
Effective Persuasion: Ten Things to Know and Five Things to Do
Have you ever tried to persuade someone and it did not go well? You have all the facts and data; you have a compelling case and the answer seems obvious – at least to you. Yet, they are not convinced and their arguments seem counterintuitive. This situation plays out...
Four Brain-Savvy Tips for Changing Attitudes
Whoo-hoo! I was promoted to mid-management (GS-13 in government lingo). I was going to Headquarters! I made it! ...not so fast. My first assignment was to write policy on the use of motorcycles in HOV lanes. If you think that doesn't sound very exciting, you're right....
Three Ways to Make SMART Goals Smarter
The 1996 Summer Olympics were approaching fast. Atlanta hummed with construction. I was part of a team that designed and built the Transportation Management Center or TMC. The work engulfed the city, all of the surrounding counties, the state department of...
How to Not Waste Time on Performance Reviews
It is likely that your performance review process is a colossal waste of time - for you and your employee. Can your business tolerate a process that is a colossal waste of time? If your answer is no, then here are some tips that with a bit of thought, will improve the...
Persuasion: It’s Not About the Facts
“Just the facts: they speak for themselves.” Don’t they? Not so much. From my technical background, I have observed a fact-based approach to persuasion many times but rarely successfully. It’s no wonder. The brain isn’t designed to respond to facts alone. Analytical...
How to Manage Your Mood and Language to Resolve Workplace Disputes
"I can't work with him! The project was late because he didn't do his part. I have to hold his hand every step of the way." That's what she said as she stood in my office frustrated, agitated and angry. And, she expected me to "take care of it." The situation is...
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 Steps to Just Getting It Done
It was a beautiful Texas afternoon and I decided to take a short walk along the street where my mother lives. Walking, I passed a short, old woman slowly ambling along out for her afternoon walk and carrying her cane. We smiled and acknowledged each other as our...
Four Ways Leaders Use Intuition
Think, think, think. We live in a culture that values thinking. We have big thinkers, deep thinkers, creative thinkers, out-of-the-box thinkers. There are think tanks and a sculpture called, The Thinker. We think out loud; we think to ourselves and then we think...
Three Steps to True Consensus: It’s More than Flip Charts & Colored Dots!
We talk about creating consensus all the time. What we do, however, is have a meeting and hope to reach agreement without appreciating what “consensus” really is and the benefits it provides when done well. Consensus when well-executed will: Generate a wide range of...
The Leadership Perils of Suppressing Emotion
In leadership positions it’s inevitable that situations arise that generate an emotional reaction. Some emotions are low grade but others are like five-alarm fires. We are taught to control our emotions in the workplace to be credible, strong and unshakable. “Don’t...
Get a Free Copy of
The Handbook for Technical Leaders
Ten Top Skills for Managers