Archive | Employment

Working like a Dog

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 8, 2015

Category: Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Work-Life

Recently I posted about our star employee. She came to us as an “employee with benefits.” The benefit is her best buddy, Willy the Schnoodle. Our office environment is casual, but we have never had an office pet. We thought we’d try it. Willy keeps his own schedule; he does not work 40 hour weeks. […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 8, 2015

Category: Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Work-Life

Giving credit where credit is due, “working like a dog” is part of the lyrics to a song called “Hard Day’s Night” written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The first line in the song is, “It’s been a hard day’s night and I’ve been working like a dog.” Since 1964, when the song, album, […]

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Give others a Stanley

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 29, 2015

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

In a previous post I wrote about “giving yourself a Stanley” when one has done something amazing or otherwise deserving of recognition. Along these lines, I am also an advocate of “giving others a Stanley” when someone else has done something helpful, noteworthy, or wonderful. I rarely miss the opportunity to tell someone “good job,” […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 29, 2015

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

Receiving praise should feel good, and it usually does. But, it has been interesting to observe some of our best performers in the workplace react with surprise when we do praise them. It appears that genuine praise, not of the “everyone gets a trophy variety,” is somewhat rare in the business world. Maybe it is […]

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The Pearl

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 17, 2015

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

It is great thing to find a gem, actually, a pearl, of an employee. Our most recent hire came as a referral from a trusted source, her father. I’ve known him for well over 20 years as our business and personal accountant and friend. Along the way, Melissa and I met his family, including his […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 17, 2015

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

The title of this post is “The Pearl” because pearl is the meaning of our wonderful employee’s name. In every way possible, she fits her name; she is truly a pearl, a gem, of a person! Interestingly, as with another of our best employees, she applied for a job with Magnus at a time we […]

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Give yourself a Stanley

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 15, 2015

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

A long time ago, 2 of my employees and I witnessed something that, at the time, seemed rather odd to all of us. We were making a presentation in a client’s office and among the attorneys in attendance was an older attorney of some renown who, upon being told he had done something beneficial in […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 15, 2015

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

Our practice of “giving Stanleys” has been an interesting experience. As Melissa points out, telling an employee to give himself/herself a Stanley seems strange at first. But, the old pat on the back seems strange, and perhaps offensive, to some younger employees as well, especially those who do not like being touched. By using the […]

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2 or 4 Groups?

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 10, 2015

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

There are at least 2 parts of the question which is the title of this post, “2 or 4 groups?”. Part 1 is the research question, and, it could be, is it 2 or 3, 4,…10, or more groups? The question is one we work through with clients when planning their mock jury/mock arbitration research. […]

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Prospective clients often ask, “So, how much is all of this going to cost?” to which I reply, “It depends on how much you want to know.” This answer may, at first, seem trite, but I do not intend it to be. I immediately follow this response with an explanation of how the cost for […]

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Just – Do It

I used to work in a large corporation where staff meetings, committee meetings, and meetings of other varieties were commonplace. These meetings seemed, to me, to drone on endlessly, with much discussion, but little actual work, being accomplished. In the years I have co-owned and operated a small business, I have kept meetings to a […]

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I believe “Just Do It” has been Melissa’s motto for longer than it has been Nike’s. In other words, she likes to “git er done.” While meetings are often necessary to coordinate to ensure that everyone will get things done with the same information and goals in mind, as Dilbert illustrates, meetings often take on […]

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Mike Cefalo’s notes

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 1, 2015

Category: Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work

A client of mine told me something valuable a long time ago. He said he writes personal notes, on stationery, in handwriting, to several people each week who have done something noteworthy. I asked him how he found the time to do this, due to his busy schedule as a high profile trial lawyer residing […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 1, 2015

Category: Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work

In a time when instant communications are the norm, old fashioned, paper, pen, and stamps count for more than ever. The decrease in “real mail” is remarkable and that makes notes, as Melissa describes, more noteworthy. Or at least more noticeable than a decade ago. All the more reason to do this. We treasure the […]

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Listen – really listen

As a psychologist, I am a paid listener. I listen more than I talk. I learn far more from listening than from talking. Most people, in my opinion, talk far more than they listen (and rarely do they have anything of great importance to say!). If one listens, really listens, there are many details that […]

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It is interesting to be an observer both of people (like our mock jurors) and of people’s listening skills (like our attorney clients). Attorneys are paid to talk, to argue, to persuade. But, when they come to us and we do mock jury or mock arbitration research, they have to utilize their listening skills when […]

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“I won’t make that mistake again”

Magnus’ first employee suffered from a lack of foresight. She was unable to think through to completion the results of certain actions. She certainly had many positive traits, but this was not one of them. I do not know how many times we heard her say, “well, I won’t make that mistake again.” While it […]

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There is nothing inherently wrong with learning from one’s mistakes, but there are unavoidable costs associated with making these mistakes. Some of the costs are related to lost time, from expending efforts that are largely unproductive, while other costs are monetary. As small business owners, David and I often bear the brunt of our employees’ […]

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Wish Them Well

As a final post, hopefully ever, in the series on unprofessional lawyers, I am borrowing some lyrics from my favorite rock band, RUSH. Written by Rush’s lyricist and drummer extraordinare, Neil Peart, and featured on their most recent album, Clockwork Angels, the song entitled, “Wish Them Well” is about realizing there is sometimes a need […]

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David finds a lot of inspiration from his favorite band, RUSH.  Unlike the lyricist for RUSH, Neil Peart, I have difficulty wishing well to someone who has harmed me.  However, wishing someone well is probably the healthiest attitude one can take upon being wronged.  The few clients with whom David and I have had an […]

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