Question: So, in reading this site, it seems that the shop in which I work does a lot of things wrong and some things right. How can I improve the code that I work with from my colleagues? The only thing I can think of is to lead by example - start using Boost, etc. Any other thoughts?

Answer: 
You probably have to look more closely at what it is your shop does wrong and what they do right. What can you actually change there? *What can you change about your own practices that will improve your skills or that of your team?* It can be difficult to realize change in an entrenched shop. Try proposing code reviews (on your code first), which could lead to discussion.

For tangible items, I'd look at [Scott Meyers](http://www.aristeia.com/)' Effective C++, etc. Develop your skillset and you will either help improve others around you or move on to a shop that will. Also, look at the Gang of Four's [Design Patterns](https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/0201633612) book.
I find writing unit tests helps code quality a lot - it means you have to think about how your code will interact with the tests and other parts of the code.

Peer code-review: Checking quality of code will also make the programmers think about how they write the code.