Author Archive | Melissa Pigott

My Armor is Chink-proof

In the over 3 decades we have known each other, David has frequently remarked that some of my long term friends have a tendency to search for “chinks in my armor.” (For readers who are unfamiliar with this expression, it has been used since the 17th century to refer to a weak spot in a […]

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It is interesting that people “snipe” at others in an attempt, I guess, to make themselves feel better about their own situation.  Such behavior was first pointed out to me by a high school classmate, Steve, during our first years in college.   He told me that his roommate was always looking for chinks in his […]

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No one hires me for an easy case

On numerous occasions throughout my career as a jury/trial consultant, prospective clients, not to mention family members and friends, have asked me if I have ever worked on a “big” case or a “difficult” case. I used to bristle when asked this question, due to its implication that I am not intelligent, experienced, or good […]

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The fact that we are called on to work on large, difficult, challenging, and unique cases is one of the intellectual thrills of working as trial consultants.  And, what were once challenges are not as intimidating as they might have been years ago.  The money involved in some of the cases is part of the […]

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My job is to help people

Sometimes, when I am asked what I do for a living, I answer, “I help people.” Although the details of my job description have changed over the years, my entire career has been devoted to helping people. In my job as Director of Marketing Research at a large hospital, I was tasked with helping improve […]

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A client called for help this week.  He faces a unexpected challenge of a case that he didn’t think would get to trial – then the judge set a trial date.  With a trial looming, and some extra challenges on the part of his client, he called.  It helped that he is a regular reader […]

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Comforts of home – travel candle

In a previous post, I mentioned my use of earplugs to mask unwanted sounds while sleeping, particularly, in hotel rooms (where I spend a lot of my time!). In this, related, post, I will mention another helpful travel aid that I employ on a frequent basis: a small, scented candle. I have entered many hotel […]

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This is another example of learning from others.  Those who have been there, done that, and survived to tell about it, can be invaluable teachers.  And, travel candles are quite popular when you begin looking for them.  They are often in a tin jar with a lid that makes them easy to travel with, easy […]

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Sleep – ear plugs

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 5, 2019

Category: Business Travel, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Mental Health, RoadWarrior, Travel

I am a light sleeper. I travel a lot, for both business and pleasure. These two realities often conflict, but, over the years, I have learned how to minimize the conflict with a simple and inexpensive solution: earplugs. Although I routinely request a room as far away as possible from the elevator and ice machine […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 5, 2019

Category: Business Travel, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Mental Health, RoadWarrior, Travel

Earplugs are but one of many travel tricks learned by years of being a road warrior.  Not that you can’t use them at home as well; Melissa can, and often does, wear them for the rare occasions when sleeping late is an option.  On the road though, with so many strange and unfamiliar variables at […]

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I’m happiest when I have a new data set

One of Magnus’ former employees once remarked that the times he saw me at my happiest were the days when I was analyzing a new data set. How true! There are few things in life I enjoy more than delving into a raw data file from a recently conducted survey of potential jurors. I eagerly […]

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Some girls get excited about diamonds; Melissa gets excited about data (well, diamonds too). Data sets give her the chance to use her favorite computer program – SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). She fires up SPSS and digs in whenever she can. Sometimes the data sets are large and she can really poke […]

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Rainbows in Hawai’i

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 22, 2019

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Mental Health, Travel

I have had the fantastic experience of visiting Hawai’i on several occasions. Growing up in Florida, I frequently heard people say not to bother going to Hawai’i because, in their opinion, it was similar to Florida. These people, in my opinion, are wrong. There are a few similarities but, overall, Florida and Hawai’i have little […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 22, 2019

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Mental Health, Travel

There is a reason that the song (Somewhere) Over the Rainbow resonates with Hawaiians. Sung by many, including Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz, my favorite version is the one by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, better known as Iz. His take on the words written in 1939, combined with Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World, is […]

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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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In appreciation of Rats

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 8, 2019

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Psychology

I am among the psychologists whose education included taking a class in experimental psychology, specifically, animal learning. The basic premise of this class was, after being assigned to a rat, training the rat in all sorts of classical and instrumental conditioning paradigms. (Classical conditioning is when a stimulus is presented to elicit a response. Instrumental […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 8, 2019

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Psychology

While I’ll agree lab rats, and often other animals, serve a worthwhile purpose, I don’t share Melissa’s fondness for them. I particularly dislike rats and other critters that enter our human world uninvited. Especially the ones that get in the house, seen or unseen, and scurry about. A recent dead rat lodged in the engine […]

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Sunsets

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 1, 2019

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Travel, Uncategorized, Work-Life

I was born, and grew up in, Fort Myers, Florida, located on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Watching the sun set over the Caloosahatchee or the Gulf of Mexico was a huge part of my existence as a child. I have had the fortunate experience of watching sunsets in all 50 states in […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 1, 2019

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Travel, Uncategorized, Work-Life

I love the colors of sunsets. And I love that you don’t have to get up before sunrise to experience a sunset – I’m not that much of an early bird! Some of the first photos I ever took were of sunsets as viewed across the St. Johns River, a few minutes walk from my […]

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