Archive | Business Frustrations

Juggling

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 4, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Mental Health, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

I shot a photograph of a juggler a couple years ago when I was wandering the streets of New York City while there to work on a client’s case. My eye was drawn to the colorful balls flying in the air so I walked toward the area behind the main NYC library. Turns out, several […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 4, 2021

Most people have a difficult time “walking in someone else’s shoes.” We live our daily lives, caught up in dealing with our personal issues, rarely giving much thought to what other people are going through. David and I have a dear friend who, for as long as we have known her, has been battling a […]

Ok Boomer

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 26, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting Through Life and Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Psychology

I have written in previous posts about my experiences with sexism, including the bias that has been expressed toward me as a female bass guitar player. As I have stated, sexism is alive, but not well. I have also mentioned social psychological research on racism and racial prejudice and the negative impact these forms of […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 26, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting Through Life and Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Psychology

It is interesting to think about “Ok Boomer” in the concept of discrimination. Certainly, sometimes it is said in a joking way, light heartedly, but there is an underlying dismissal of the boomer in saying it no matter how funny the speaker thinks it is. And, of course, sometimes it is not said in jest. […]

PowerPoint Exhibits: Good-Bad-Ugly

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 21, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Workplace Technology

I had an interesting conversation today with a client who was preparing a PowerPoint presentation for an upcoming mock trial. As we discussed his plan, he mentioned that he was planning to use 20 slides for a 10 minute presentation. I tactfully suggested that 1 slide every 30 seconds is too many. This led to […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 21, 2021

Death by Powerpoint. That’s what I call the majority of Powerpoint and other, similar, electronic presentations. I have witnessed countless attorneys “kill” their audience with electronic presentations that contain words, then more words, then even more words. These well meaning attorneys, in their quest to educate the jury about their case, put everything they can […]

Say “Thank you!”

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 19, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Psychology

David and I have written about gratitude in previous posts. Some people are quick to say, “Thank you” when someone gives them a gift or does something nice, while other people rarely, if ever, show their appreciation. This post is prompted by a recent experience with someone with whom I have been acquainted for many […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 19, 2021

I recall a fairly regular cause for a letter to “Dear Abby” or “Ann Landers” was the complaint that grandchildren never wrote thank you notes. My Mom drilled that into me by buying special stationery to use for just such occasions. And, doing so timely was expected. It was always a bit difficult to me […]

Listen as Much as, or More Than, You Talk

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 5, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Sometimes, these posts almost write themselves. This is one of those times. I am a regular reader of advice columnists in newspapers. (Yes, I still read newspapers, several, in fact, on a daily basis.) “Dear Abby” recently provided some sage advice that included a suggestion for the reader to “listen as much as you talk.” […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 5, 2021

To borrow from Alex Lifeson of Rush – “Blah blah blah. Blah blah blah, blah, blah, blah.” Some of you may recognize this from Alex’s speech following Rush’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It was an amazing thing to hear and watch – because one could, or at least I could, […]

When is the Last Time You Learned Something?

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 29, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

One of the strangest objections I have heard, relatively often, during my career as a jury/trial/litigation consultant goes something like this: “Well, I have been a VERY successful trial lawyer for many, many years and I have never, ever, hired a trial consultant. What in the world could I possibly learn from you, or another […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 29, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

This phenomenon exists in many contexts, but given that Melissa and I have spent decades working with attorneys, it hits us from time to time, right between the eyes. One of my college professors told me that a sign of intelligence is knowing what you don’t know. I think about this whenever I hear the […]

I’ll ask my parents

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 24, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Travel, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, RoadWarrior, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants

One source of material for these posts over the years has been the things Melissa and I have heard from employees that took us by surprise. This one is among my favorites, after the fact. We usually hire recent college graduates for our Research Associate position. Many years ago, we hired a typical, fresh from […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 24, 2020

Many people have asked me if I have any kids. I don’t know why they ask this personal question, but I always respond with, “Yes, I have had between 40 and 50 kids; they are of were my employees.” As David said, recent college graduates have been Magnus’ Research Associates since we founded Magnus in […]

Dancing in the Rain

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 22, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Mental Health, Psychology, Small Business Success, Work-Life

My friend, Diana, gave me a lovely plaque with the following quote: “Life’s not about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about dancing in the rain.” I placed this plaque in an area in my home where I see it multiple times a day. I often pause to reflect upon the meaning of this saying, […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 22, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Mental Health, Psychology, Small Business Success, Work-Life

We’ve all sure had more than our share of rain this year. Literally and figuratively. Thinking of the literal type, we’ve had storms, with and without names in a long time. Hawaiians have 200 words for rain – and different types of rain. Jake Shimabukuru, ukelele player extraordinaire, talked about them at a concert we […]

When things don’t make sense: 28 days off

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 17, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Litigation Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

The work we do as trial consultants requires us to work closely with our attorney clients for several weeks or months, or even years. Clients are typically respectful and courteous. But, as we have written before, there are a few outliers – clients who abuse everyone around them, including us. We have had a few […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 17, 2020

One of the most interesting aspects in my career as a jury consultant is unrelated to the expertise I provide to my clients on things such as trial strategy, jury selection, and witness preparation. This interesting aspect of my job happens when my clients, all of whom are educated and intelligent attorneys, forget I am, […]

Technology simplifies our lives, right?

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 10, 2020

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Workplace Technology

Another clean out story. In purging the old equipment to prepare for the Magnus’ move to new office, we came across VCRs, VHS tapes, cassette recorders, cassette tapes, DVD duplicators, and more. These are a history of the technology evolution in our lives. Yet, it was also a reminder of simpler times. When we first […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 10, 2020

I don’t endorse the premise that technology simplifies our lives. Sometimes, it does, sometimes it doesn’t, and sometimes, there is no noticeable difference between old and new technology within the realm of simplicity. I don’t mind change; in fact, I thrive on it. And, it is relatively easy for me to learn new ways of […]

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Archive | Business Frustrations

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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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