Author Archive | David Fauss

A Point of View & Another View – Ouch! How Employee Mistakes Hurt

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 6, 2014

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

I suppose it is partly because I operated my own business for several years as a photographer, with no employees, that I have a full appreciation for the costs of running a business. If I broke a camera, or ruined a print, it was “my bad”, and I had only myself to blame. But, when […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 6, 2014

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

As the co-owners of a small business, my spouse and I take everything personally, literally. I tell new employees, “Look around. Everything you see here was bought by my partner and me, and paid for, 100%, by money I earned personally. If you break something, you have broken something that belongs to me, not the […]

A Point of View & Another View – Staff Meetings

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 27, 2014

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

Staff meetings. One need only read a few Dilbert cartoons to realize staff meetings can be non productive and sometimes painful to attend. But, used with some forethought, they are an important way to keep everyone in sync and to allow the discussion of issues that require attention outside the demands of normal, everyday, work […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 27, 2014

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

I detest staff meetings. I perceive them as a total waste of my time, time when I could be doing “real work” or just about anything else. I know how to perform my job and I don’t need to participate in a meeting in order to learn what to do. These statements aside, I also […]

A Point of View & Another View – Keeping Everyone Organized

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 20, 2014

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

Though my business partner/spouse and I are organized people, employees have not always proven themselves to be. We have hired many employees for their first professional job and, although habits they had in college may have worked well for them when they were only concerned with their own individual performance, we have often seen the […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 20, 2014

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

I know what I am doing, at all times, on all cases for which my company and I have been retained. But, knowing what I am doing does not mean others know what they are doing! Realizing this, I have taken numerous steps to communicate with employees exactly what they are supposed to do on […]

A Point of View & Another View – Who Works for Whom (You’re Fired)

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 13, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

As we developed the topics for these insights, my spouse/business partner and I obviously based them on our experience as small business owners. While it is the topic of other posts to discuss who created or operates small or large businesses, suffice it to say that if someone has started a business or is running […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 13, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

My spouse/business partner and I have had the good fortune to have many wonderful employees over the years. We have had numerous long term employees and have also had the pleasure of working with several vendors for decades. During the over 20 years we have owned and operated our business, however, we have also had […]

A Point of View & Another View – Providing the Big Picture to Employees

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 5, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done

From time to time over the years we have been in business it has been clear that one or more employees works from day to day keeping only his or her immediate tasks in mind. The employee sees these tasks as the reason he/she has a job. Of course, to a degree, that is true. […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 5, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done

My spouse/business partner and I are big believers in open, honest, and direct communications with employees. We have debriefings after every research project to discuss anything that went wrong and ways to prevent future mistakes; we have planning meetings prior to all upcoming research days; we have extensive training programs for employees of all levels; […]

A Point of View & Another View – Learning When To “Cut ‘Em Loose”: Employees/Suppliers/Clients

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 31, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

I suppose it is akin to knowing when to hold them or when to fold them, but it is important in a small business to know when to cut “them” loose. “Them” may be an employee, or it may be a supplier, or it may be a client. Speaking with other business owners over the […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 31, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

Most of our parting of the ways with employees, vendors, and clients have been brought about by choices made by these individuals, including choices that have been unrelated to their work with my company. The most painful parting of company in my career was with a long time vendor, with us since the founding of […]

A Point of View & Another View – Juggling/multitasking

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 23, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work

Multitasking is the norm for most workers, both employees and owners, in today’s world. There is a research evidence that multitasking is not always the most productive work style, but it seems to be the reality for most jobs. Over the years we have learned to pre-screen prospective employees on their ability to multitask. Most […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 23, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work

The definition of multitasking varies with individuals. In my job, I do not work on several tasks at exactly the same time; if I did, nothing would get accomplished. Instead, my work requires me to prepare for upcoming cases, including research projects such as mock trials and focus groups, and consulting, such as jury selection. […]

A Point of View & Another View – Have Rules (Policies, & Procedures)

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 15, 2014

Category: Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

When we first started our business, long before we had the prospect of having employees, we began developing a policy and procedures manual. Maybe it was my degree in Organizational Behavior, or Melissa’s having taught Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or both of us having worked for other employers, but we knew that while we had “free” time […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 15, 2014

Category: Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

Magnus is a small corporation, however, we have extremely formal ways of doing business. We have a specific policy covering every major aspect of our work, including dress code, social media, and what constitutes a valid expense on an expense report. As with most employers, my partner and I have had numerous experiences with employees […]

A Point of View & Another View – Who’s Da Boss?

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 8, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Managing Employees

It should be easy to figure out who the boss is and whom, therefore, employees should try to please. But, for various reasons, sometimes things are not as obvious as they seem apparently. Over the years we have had some experiences with employees who either forgot who the boss is or try to slide by […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 8, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Managing Employees

Almost everyone who works for a living has a boss. Although I am the co-owner and thus, the boss, of my company, I have many bosses: the clients who retain my company for our litigation research and consulting services. In a service based company, such as mine, it is important for the employees to realize […]

Point & Counterpoint – Good Cop/Bad Cop

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 30, 2013

Category: Managing Employees

In prior posts we have discussed the need for partners or managers to get their thoughts together prior to meetings with employees. This is especially true if there is a need to engage in disciplinary actions or remedial training measures. Often, it naturally becomes a situation where one partner/manager is the “bad cop” delivering the […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 30, 2013

Category: Managing Employees

Contrary to popular belief, I am not always the “bad cop” counterpart to my partner’s “good cop.” In fact, we have had a few, admittedly very few, employees over the years who find me easier to work with than my partner. As I always tell our clients, all trial lawyers who delight in asking me […]

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Author Archive | David Fauss

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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