Archive | Business Frustrations

Around by Tampa

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 13, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Travel, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Litigation Tips, Travel, Trial Consulting

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 […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 13, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Travel, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Litigation Tips, Travel, Trial Consulting

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, […]

Do what you say

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 6, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Litigation Tips, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

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, […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 6, 2016

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 […]

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

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 1, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

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 […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 1, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Educating clients, without alienating them

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 14, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

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 […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 14, 2016

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 […]

Hiring Expertise

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 7, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

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 […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 7, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

I am the Greatest

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 14, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

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 […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 14, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

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 […]

When employees become scrap paper

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 2, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees

I have to start this post by saying that I hate to waste paper which kills trees, but I also hate to waste resources for which I have already paid. If there is some way to benefit, even at a reduced value level, I try to not waste green paper either. I was thinking about […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 2, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees

My mom was the first recycling aficionado I knew. She was also fond of the expression that something was “not worth the paper it was printed on.” I guess the paper referenced in her expression is money, meaning that whatever Mom was disparaging was, in her opinion, worthless. I would not go as far as […]

What if client isn’t ready; good; prepared; is drunk

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 26, 2016

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

In a quarter century of working with attorneys as our clients, while conducting mock trials and other forms of research, we have observed some great attorney presentations, some average ones, and occasionally, fortunately rarely, some very poor presentations. One of the worst things that can happen in our world of conducting mock trials is that […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 26, 2016

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

Fortunately, the majority of attorneys who retain Magnus for one or more research services are professional in their conduct, including taking our role in their case seriously. These attorneys are the backbone of our existence and without them, we would not be in business. There are many more attorneys, of course, who are “average” in […]

← Previous 1 … 28 29 30 … 33 Next →

Archive | Business Frustrations

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

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

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.

About Magnus