Archive | Business Frustrations

GPS (orientation x3)

In medical settings, and in psychological assessments, patients are almost always asked 3 important questions: (1) Who are you/What is your name?; (2) Where are you, right now?; and (3) What time is it? People with cognitive impairment are often unable to answer these simple questions and sometimes, they become confused as to why they […]

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Oriented X3.  I’ve certainly seen this concept utilized in the medical arena, especially as it relates to cognitive testing.  But, in thinking of the broader context about which Melissa writes, it occurs to me that there is another way we commonly relate to this concept.  That is, “the lights are on, but nobody’s home.”  We […]

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Telling the end client they need a new attorney

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 15, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

One of the strangest outcomes of mock jury research is the realization, and documentation, that the attorney for whom we were working was not up to the challenge. Though we never anticipated this would occur, it has. And, it has happened more than once. The first time I recall this happening was when we were […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 15, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

The majority of Magnus’ clients are attorneys who have super sized egos. Some of our clients’ egos are well deserved, in that they are stellar advocates on behalf of their clients. Other attorneys seem to have a self conception that does not match their accomplishments. (I am well aware this happens among people in other […]

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Around by Tampa

As some readers of David’s and my posts know, I am a fourth generation Floridian who was “born and raised” in Fort Myers, on Florida’s Gulf coast. Fort Myers was a small town when I grew up and many things we needed, for example, specialty medical care, were not available there. My family spent quite […]

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I’m from the east coast of Florida, Jacksonville to be specific. Before I met Melissa, I had been to Tampa and a few other west Florida cities only a few times. I certainly knew the basic geography, but not necessarily the most efficient routes to get to places like Ft. Myers, or even Tampa. So, […]

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Do what you say

As a follow up to a post in which I quoted a line from Jimmy Buffett’s song, “Clichés,” “Say what you mean and mean what you say,” I will add another thought, “Do what you say.” Many people talk about doing something, but when it comes down to actually accomplishing what they have talked about, […]

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This is a topic Melissa initiated – that’s how these posts work. One of us generates the topic and then becomes the first author/blogger. The first author writes what ends up in the left column of the post, the second author then responds. Many times the right column posts follows or expands upon the left […]

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Red Flags when hiring a Trial Consultant, part 1. Predictability Claims

I recently had the opportunity to view some materials produced by a competitor for a client. In the materials, the competitor stated that a certain methodology they offered would predict the trial verdict with 90% accuracy if the case goes to trial (this is paraphrased, but is essentially what was claimed). As someone who has […]

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This is a “G rated” blog, so I will limit myself to saying there are many, many trial consultants who are full of IT (the astute reader will know what IT means in this context). Conducting small group research doesn’t predict any outcome with 90% accuracy. If it did, why would political polls assess opinions […]

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When we all think the same, watch out

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 25, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

I recently read a Wall Street Journal article with the same title as this post, “When we all think the same, watch out.” I smiled when I saw it because I was already thinking I could figure out where this was going. As it turned out, it related to the economy and the factors that […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 25, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

Groupthink is a dangerous social psychological phenomenon. It was first defined by Irving Janis in 1971 as pressures toward uniformity due to group members’ desire to agree with their leader. Groupthink is most likely to occur when: (1) the group is cohesive; (2) there are structural faults in the group (such as an absence of […]

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Educating clients, without alienating them

An aspect of our trial consulting business that is sometimes difficult to address is that, as noted in other posts, we have competitors with a wide variety of qualifications, from those like us, with extensive educational backgrounds and degrees, to those with no education beyond high school. Further, some of our competitors are so uneducated […]

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The title of this post is “Educating Clients, without Alienating Them,” however, there are some clients who, in my opinion, have no hope of becoming educated about the reasons why they should hire my company over one of our unqualified competitors, such that I wish the title could be, “Alienating Clients without Educating them.” Some […]

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Hiring Expertise

A recent client encounter prompts this post.  The client was requesting what we refer to as a “proposal” for mock jury research.  She repeatedly called it a “bid” and I guess it is.  It is (unfortunately) increasingly common that clients seek competitive bids.  And, while I understand this, and do the same for some minor […]

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From the earliest days of co-owning Magnus with David, it has never been our desire to be the cheapest provider of any research or consulting service we provide. It is acceptable, in my view, to provide high quality work at a reasonable/fair price, but being the low cost bidder is not something to which I […]

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The more the merrier

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 30, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done, Trial Consulting, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

I have recently been working with a client to explain some concepts that are part of our work. These concepts are some of the fundamentals of social science research, concepts which are so well understood by those educated in this area that they are second nature. This particular concept is easily explained by the adage, […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 30, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done, Trial Consulting, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

One of the most challenging, not to mention frustrating, aspects of my career has been explaining scientific research methods, statistical principles, and other complex aspects of the work I perform to people who lack the education, knowledge, and experience to understand what I am talking about. There is only so much “dumbing down” that is […]

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I am the Greatest

At the time of this writing, Muhammad Ali passed away less than one week ago. Everyone who knows me well knows Muhammad Ali has been one of my heroes since I was a child.  I grew up reading the Miami Herald and, because Muhammad Ali had close ties to Miami Beach and its 5th Street […]

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Though I have always been aware of Muhammad Ali and have known some of the history, I have not had the long connection with his legacy as Melissa has.  But, having watched documentaries about him, like the movie about the Rumble in the Jungle, I recognized how impressive he was, in and out of the […]

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