Archive | Business Frustrations

Onboarding

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 16, 2021

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

We at Magnus been working with a new employee recently to get him up to speed so that he can work effectively. Because Megan has been with us for quite a few years, I haven’t had to train anyone in some time, so it is an interesting experience to look at our training list and […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 16, 2021

No offense to any of Magnus’ wonderful employees, but hiring, training, and supervising employees is my least favorite part of owning and operating a business. I know what I am doing, I always get my work done correctly and on time, and it slows me down anytime I have to deal with the latest issue […]

Trial team members, not vendors or facilitators

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 3, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Entrepreneurship, Jury Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

I’m writing this on a Monday, so I’m going to vent a little. This is a topic I’ve had on my list to write about for quite some time; I just never got to it, in part, because I don’t like to venture into areas of self importance. But, here I go. As trial consultants, […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 3, 2021

Please note: I am not writing my part of David’s post on a Monday; furthermore, I think David’s topic is appropriate regardless of the day of the week! This being said, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, wrong with being a vendor. In fact, some of my favorite things are sold by vendors: hot dogs being […]

Go ahead: It’s okay to call me “Doctor”

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 24, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Common Courtesy, Jury Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Psychology, Trial Consultants

The last time someone correctly referred to me as “Ms.” was before 4:00 p.m. on Monday, July 9, 1984. That was a long time ago, however, many people, including family members and friends (all of whom should know better) are reluctant to address mail or otherwise refer to me as “Dr.” Although I earned a […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 24, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Common Courtesy, Jury Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Psychology, Trial Consultants

This post reminds me of a memory from my teen years, when talking with a friend about the father of another friend who was a professor at a college in Jacksonville. He was a sociologist, and my friend said she asked him, do I call you “Mr. Key or Dr. Key?” He answered, “well, I […]

CYA, Part 2

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 19, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

A recent experience prompts this post. I got a call from an out of state prospective client about a case in “our backyard” of south Florida. Turns out, they were surprised by the judge in the case who told them to get ready, fast, for trial. It caught them off guard a bit, and they […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 19, 2021

As David and I have mentioned many times in past posts, there are numerous reasons why Magnus is retained for mock jury research, focus groups, attitude surveys, witness preparation, and jury selection. Some times, attorneys are motivated to hire Magnus because they want to improve their odds of winning their case. A long time client […]

DHTs

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 3, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Entrepreneurship, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Mental Health, Partnerships, Psychology, Small Business Success, Work-Life

I’m not sure when David invented DHTs, but I think it was during the time we lived part time in my hometown, Fort Myers, to help care for my mother during the final years of her life. For David and me, who own and operate a small business that requires frequent travel, commuting to and […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 3, 2021

There is an extra tension in a marriage when one also works with one’s spouse as we have for 30+ years. It is a 24/7/365 lifestyle unless one of us is traveling for business, and that is often a together activity for us. Inevitably, there will be tensions and stresses that become personal even if […]

Now I get it…

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 29, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

I’ve noticed a phenomenon when working with clients who have never utilized a trial consultant. The only thing I can think of as a way to describe this is “Now I get it…” Attorneys/clients do not always hire us because they want to. There are times they are “encouraged to,” told to, or forced to […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 29, 2021

Some people find it difficult to understand things unless they have directly experienced them. One might say these people lack imagination or perhaps, foresight, however, when it comes to understanding the services provided by trial consultants, it is often hard for the average attorney to comprehend how we do what we do. Some of Magnus’ […]

Is your consultant a criminal?

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 22, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

This is a strange topic: Is your consultant a criminal? In this context, it is related to your trial consultant. When one hires a new employee, most often, a variety of background checks are conducted. A lawyer’s criminal history is policed by Bar associations; similarly, other licensed professions are vetted. But, what about professions not […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 22, 2021

In the decades Magnus has been in business, we have found out many things about our employees, vendors, and prospective employees that, absent our checking into them, would have remained hidden. Often, these secrets were nothing serious, for example, the office administrator we hired, even though we knew she had been arrested for D.U.I. Then, […]

Output = Effort x Ability

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 20, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Jury Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Mental Health, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants

Social psychologists, as well as other types of psychologists, have studied achievement motivation for many decades. In goal directed situations, there are several ways in which someone can achieve the desired outcome: ability, effort, and luck. Success and failure also depend, of course, on the difficulty of the task being undertaken. When considered together, these […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 20, 2021

I clearly remember that early employee to whom Melissa referred. How could I ever forget her? She tried so hard; she really gave it her all. But, often, that was not enough. This made it difficult to manage her without deflating her sense of self. Reacting to “I tried so hard,” by pointing out her […]

Exude Competence

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 15, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Many years ago, when I was working for another trial consultant, one of the clients spoke to my boss and told her that I “exuded competence.” The boss was happy to hear this and to tell me. I took it as a high compliment because it reinforced my goal of doing what I say I’m […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 15, 2021

David is right. We have to exude competence if we are to convince others that we possess the expertise necessary to perform a job. When I first became a trial consultant, way back in 1989, the person who trained me was a particularly tough task master. He greatly disliked my psychologist’s way of pensively contemplating […]

Price based decisions

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 1, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Melissa and I recently made a big purchase. A roof. It was not something I’ve shopped for willingly. The failure of the old roof after storms made it a necessity. It is a big purchase, bigger than anything we’ve ever bought, other than a house. Shopping for a roofing company was a reminder of how […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 1, 2021

When it became necessary to shop for a roofing contractor, I went about it in the same way I search for just about anything. I researched local roofing companies, asked people for referrals, and checked ratings from various sources. I eventually obtained 4 bids and 1 refusal to bid (due to the complexity and danger […]

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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

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

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.

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