Archive | Common Courtesy

Hospitality

This post is about hospitality. Not the at home type, I think we’ve covered that before; but rather, the industry type. As trial consultants, we are road warriors. I don’t know how many nights we spend away from home, but I once calculated that Melissa, Melissa and I, or I, by myself, spent 75 nights […]

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Because my personal and work lives lack routine and involve many unknowns, I find it comforting to stay in the same hotels when I travel to certain cities.  In my hometown of Fort Myers, Florida, my “hotel” used to be my childhood home until 2010, when it was sold after my mother’s passing in 2009.  […]

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Most lawyers who hire me are nice to me

People are people, regardless of their profession. There are some people who are popular and well liked and there are others who are not well liked. Attorneys, of course, are people and, as such, there are some attorneys who are well liked and well respected by their colleagues and then, there are others, whom no […]

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Many of our clients are feared by their opponents, and sometimes, their own staff and litigation team.  I don’t know if the latter is a good thing, but I’ve seen it as an overall positive.  Being feared by the opposition is probably generally positive as long as the fear is because the attorney’s litigation skills […]

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Don’t say yes, when you mean, I don’t know…

We once had an employee who was full of lessons for us. She worked hard, but sometimes she had to work extra hard to overcome her own limitations. This resulted in her inability to focus on a question at hand. And, I don’t know if it was to be dismissive in order to return to […]

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It’s a long, long way from “Yes” to “I don’t know” and, for that matter, from “No” to “I don’t know.”  As anyone who knows me well will assert, I speak in a direct manner, as succinctly as possible.  I rarely “beat around the bush.”  Instead, I say what I mean and I mean what […]

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Ask Me a Question, then LISTEN to My Answer

Recently, I have had several experiences in which someone asked me one or more questions, then constantly interrupted me while I attempted to answer the question(s). This has happened more times than I can count, however, it happened several times in the period of a few days, both in business and personal situations. One of […]

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I think part of the listening dilemma is an occupational hazard. Our clients are mostly attorneys and attorneys are paid to talk. Listening seems more difficult for some, not all, of them. This manifests itself during jury selection when some seem to have difficulty actively listening to the responses to the questions they are asking. […]

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The Hosts Should Have Fun, Too!

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 24, 2019

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Work-Life

David and I host a lot of people in our home. We have frequent dinner guests, parties, and overnight/weekend visitors. Until she passed away, my mother was, for many years, our most frequent visitor and the person who stayed with us for the longest period of time on each visit. As hosts, David and I […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 24, 2019

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Work-Life

We have had our share of guests whose interests and happiness were exclusively their own. But, we learn our lessons quickly and they are typically one time guests. The positive experiences with visitors occur when everyone is in tune with each other. Living in south Florida, we have many choices of things to do and […]

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The Game Warden’s Badge

An event I observed decades ago on a dove hunting field created a memory I will never forget. Opening day of dove season is a social event, the hunt, or shoot, occurs on a large field, 30, 40, or more acres; hunters with shotguns are spread around the field. There are social norms of politeness […]

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Jumping to conclusions is rarely a good thing to do. Sometimes, one may be right, however, other times, one may be wrong. David mentions authority figures who fail to consider all of the circumstances before wrongly accusing someone of something. We have all heard numerous examples of police officers who shoot first and ask questions […]

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Traits of Mom’s wheelchair helpers

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 3, 2019

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Psychology

As with many illnesses, including some types of dementia, the ability to ambulate declines until the patient is unable to walk. My mother had a form of dementia, known as Pick’s Disease, that caused a regression in her ability to ambulate on her own, to walking with a cane, to walking with a four pronged […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 3, 2019

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Psychology

Melissa reported these encounters with angels to me in real time. It was surprising to her and her Mom, as well as to me, at first. But, then it came to be something of a curiosity as to what story I’d hear her tell next. I don’t think we had many offers of help when […]

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Purr more; Hiss less

Purr more; hiss less. This could be a good mantra for our lives. In other words, look for the good things in life instead of focusing on the bad things. Find solutions to problems instead of whining and complaining about them. When someone spills an entire glass of iced tea (after sweetening it with sticky […]

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It is sometimes difficult in today’s polarized world to remember to purr more. There are so many things to hiss about. But, as my now 102 year old friend Dr. Fran Kinne reminds me, be positive. Melissa and I have a purr reminder in the form of a Siamese cat named Rex. Pick him up, […]

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A scientist’s experience of the paranormal

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 13, 2019

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Psychology

I am a scientist and, as a scientist, I prefer to base my decisions on data and other provable information. However, there are some things that cannot be explained by logic, science, or anything else; they remain mysteries. As I write this post at a time near the 10 year anniversary of my mother’s death, […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 13, 2019

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Psychology

I was just thinking of this event recently, before reading what Melissa wrote about that night. I, too, am very glad that we were all together when Leola turned out the lights in that I don’t think the experience would have otherwise been believable. She was not connected to any machines, so there was nothing […]

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Watch What You Say – You Never Know Whose Feelings Will be Hurt

My first job upon earning my Ph. D. was Director of Marketing Research at a large hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. Soon after I began working, I met an influential staff member who escorted me throughout the entire campus, introducing me to all of the high level executives whom he believed would help me in this […]

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I would add to Melissa’s elevator concerns the adage of “lose lips sink ships.” Beyond healthcare with its HIPPA rules, there are many environments where confidentiality is a concern. And, not just for the risk of hurt feelings. In fact, this is an area we make special efforts to train employees when hiring. And, we […]

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