Archive | Careers

Not your first gig; Not your first day on job

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 10, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Everyone who works had a first day on the job. A first time to interact with customers, a first sale, a first something. For my partner and me, when new employees are hired, they are trained and they ultimately participate on their first jury research project. New employees cannot be expected to know enough from […]

Continue Reading

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 10, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Magnus Research Consultants has employed many people who are working in their first professional job following their graduation from college.  Some of our employees have worked during high school and college, while others have never been employed prior to working for Magnus.  David and I have spent considerable time over the years coaching these eager, […]

Continue Reading

Make ‘em look good

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 3, 2016

Category: Business Relationships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

One aspect of our work as trial consultants is to evaluate cases so that our attorney clients learn how their case will be perceived by jurors, judges, arbitrators, or mediators. We always learn things that the attorneys and our other clients did not know or did not anticipate. The truth is, we may not have […]

Continue Reading

There are many ways an employee can help his/her boss look good.  In the days when I worked for a large corporation and did not perform administrative tasks, I had a secretary.  (I actually had a series of secretaries in the early days of my career, which dates back to the time when being a […]

Continue Reading

It’s obvious to you, it’s your company

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 25, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees

In our posts we have often written about things some of our employees have said, without thinking first. Or, maybe in some instances they didn’t think enough. One such utterance was this: “It’s obvious to you; you own the company…” said in defense of an employee’s mistake when she attempted to deflect blame from herself […]

Continue Reading

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 25, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees

A lot of things are obvious to me when they are not obvious to other people.  There are several fundamental differences between many people and me.  Most people spend too much time: (1) being self absorbed; (2) not paying attention to their surroundings; (3) using only one of their five senses, to the exclusion of […]

Continue Reading

Dun & Bradstreet: Part 2

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 18, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

As I have come up with topics for this blog I have found that often a brief title triggers multiple thoughts. Dun & Bradstreet was the subject of a prior blog which related my distaste for fear based marketing. But, it is because Dun & Bradstreet has a well known name that it can engage […]

Continue Reading

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 18, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

Sometimes, despite our best efforts in preventing disasters, disaster strikes, usually, without warning.  The Dun & Bradstreet / Dun and brad street debacle was, at the time it was perpetuated on Magnus, well known within the computer industry, to the point that Magnus’ long time computer consultant held a special meeting with David, me, and […]

Continue Reading

Being ethical can be expensive

I have always enjoyed the intellectual aspects of considering the ethical aspects of life and work. One of my favorite graduate school courses was business ethics and I had other classes on the subject in college, and decades ago, in a church youth group. The topics often were mind opening – considering what to do […]

Continue Reading

People have often criticized me for being too goody, goody; too prim and proper; and for taking an unpopular stance by not going along with the crowd.  Upon receiving this criticism, I usually remark that I am not working on a popularity contest; I am working to do the right thing. As an example, I […]

Continue Reading

Help people

I have received a lot of help from people over the years, mostly from my two “big” brothers. As the only daughter of my parents and one considerably younger than my two dear brothers, I have turned to each of them on countless occasions for all kinds of help, including financial, advice on how to […]

Continue Reading

I grew up with parents who were always willing to help others.  They would quickly invite my friends to visit, or come to dinner, including a near ritual Sunday night pizza feast that usually included several friends.  In an open and non judgmental way, they were always willing to include an array of friends.  My […]

Continue Reading

Either you are wrong or I am right. Part 2: Clients

As I was writing the post, “Either you are wrong or I am right,” I thought that, like the album title from which it came, About Face (by David Gilmour) there are perhaps more than 1 way to contemplate this lyric. In the first post I wrote about the implications of behaving, in a personal […]

Continue Reading

I admit to being frustrated by some clients’ insistence that they know everything there is to know, including in an area in which they have zero expertise.  However, I am somewhat entertained by their willingness to set themselves up for failure, when something happens to disprove their incorrect assumptions, and I usually ask them to […]

Continue Reading

Grab your consultant only when the lights are out

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 2, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Trial Consulting

Unfortunately, for many women in all sorts of occupations, sexual harassment is a prevalent part of the work environment. I, like many women in my age cohort, have been sexually harassed by a variety of men (and a few women) in various contexts: bosses, co-workers, professors (when I was a student), fellow students, my students […]

Continue Reading

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 2, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Trial Consulting

Many jobs and job functions put opposite, or even same, gender co-workers in awkward settings.  A dark observation room was certainly one of those for Melissa.  And, because she is quick to defend herself, against this indefensible behavior, a worse problem was averted.  The fact that she had a boss who backed her up was […]

Continue Reading

Client having an affair with key witness

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 26, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

Attorneys, particularly trial lawyers, are paid to talk. Most of my clients are excellent talkers/speakers. Psychologists, on the other hand, are paid to listen, to observe, and to notice things other people often do not notice. There are other differences between these two very different professions and the types of people who are drawn to […]

Continue Reading

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 26, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

I don’t think I have been present during any of the scenarios Melissa has recounted in this series of posts, but I have heard about them 2nd hand, from her, and in some instances, others on our team.  But, it is not just that these observations were made, or experiences endured; it is amazing that […]

Continue Reading

Is it worth getting up at 6 a.m. for that Chamber meeting?

To quickly answer the question in my title, I don’t know. But, I am getting ahead of myself. When we started Magnus in 1993 it seemed like it might be worthwhile to network in certain ways. One of them was to join the Chamber of Commerce and go to the early morning breakfast meetings. It […]

Continue Reading

A long time client of Magnus recently told David that David has the hardest job in our company, in that it involves performing many tasks people often consider undesirable.  One of these tasks is attending networking functions, including those disguised as “social events” because adult beverages are served.  Of all the networking events David has […]

Continue Reading

Powered by WordPress. Designed by WooThemes