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Business Partnerships – 2's Company – MagnusInsights.com https://magnusinsights.com Mon, 10 Oct 2022 18:13:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://magnusinsights.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-2sCompanyLogov23-32x32.jpg Business Partnerships – 2's Company – MagnusInsights.com https://magnusinsights.com 32 32 Formality Never Hurts https://magnusinsights.com/formality-never-hurts/ Mon, 10 Oct 2022 18:15:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3277 In thinking about the job candidates who failed to get out of the starting gate due to their wardrobe choices, I reflected on how formality provides a guide for “good” behavior. Being formal in addressing people with “Ms.,” “Mr.,” “Dr.,” etc. is a good starting place. It is likely you will soon be told to be less formal, but starting out informally might be like wearing shorts to a job interview, a non starter. Assessing the situation, listening to others, and being situationally aware allows one to determine what is appropriate, or not. Melissa can explain the psychological concepts related to internal/external focus further. There are many ways to evaluate a situation; checking websites and social media are good indicators. Turning on one’s listening and observational skills are a requirement. Showing respect by using formal titles, dressing formally (situationally) and being appropriately deferent are good ways to get off on the right foot in a new work situation or a situation involving a new client or customer.

]]> Dress for the Interview https://magnusinsights.com/dress-for-the-interview/ Thu, 22 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3275 Job interviews are something with which Melissa and I have had considerable experience over the last 30 years. We’ve revised our procedures over time, but we have always utilized an in-person interview as a final part of the process. Regardless of the position for which we are interviewing, we, as a professional practice serving a discriminating client base, have certain expectations. First and foremost, applicants should dress for the job they are seeking. In a professional environment, this means suits/jackets, ties, nice pants and shoes, etc. We’ve had some surprises over the years in which the first impressions were all we needed to know that the individual in question was not situationally aware enough to be hired, or worse, to work with the types of clients we have as trial consultants. There was the young woman, recently graduated with a master’s degree, who flew into town, at our expense, who showed up without her suit jacket “because it was too hot.” We’re in Florida, she was from Texas; heat is normal. Perhaps if she had not made it a point to tell us that she did not wear a jacket because of the heat, we would have thought she intended the no jacket look (though her outfit really called for the jacket). Then there was the guy who was so disheveled that he arrived with his dress shirt ½ way untucked and never realized it. The pièce de ré·sis·tance was the recent applicant for research technician who showed up in a polo shirt and…shorts. He blew his chance at a job by dressing so casually, not even “business casual” – but shorts! Again, because it was hot. First impressions are critical. Having the right look is important. Dressing in the right “costume” for the job is something that should be easy to comprehend. It is hard to overdress for a professional interview. Failing to do so speaks volumes about the applicant’s potential.

]]> You can go to Wal-Mart, Kmart… https://magnusinsights.com/you-can-go-to-wal-mart-kmart/ Tue, 20 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3269 David and I have different ways of accomplishing the same task. We are frequently engaged in debates about how to perform seemingly simple tasks. When we catch ourselves in the midst of another debate about some mind numbing chore, one of us usually says, “You can go to Walmart, Kmart (sadly, that’s no longer an option for us), Target, or wherever you want.” This statement stops the debate because it reminds us of the same type of debates David’s dad, Herman, would get into over the smallest of details. For example, when we drove from Pompano Beach to Jacksonville, Herman used to ask which way we were coming. Were we driving all the way north on I-95? Were we coming up the Turnpike, then crossing over to I-95 on State Road 70 in Fort Pierce? Were we coming up the Turnpike, then crossing over to I-95 at the Jupiter exit? Had we checked to see how traffic was moving on both the Turnpike and I-95? Had we considered taking a more scenic route, for example, driving part of the way on U.S. 1? Did we think we might want to drive up U. S. 301 through Lawtey, Waldo, and Starke? Had we considered all the options, including where we would be stopping for lunch? This type of exchange was common with Herman, regardless of the subject, sometimes to the point of hilarity! We got into the circular discussion about the virtues of Kmart and Walmart at a time when Kmart was still a worthy competitor of Walmart. Given that both of these stores sold the same type of merchandise, I usually went to the one closest to my location. Not Herman! He weighed the options, such as which one had the desired item on sale, how close each store was to the gas station currently selling gas for the lowest price, and a host of other variables, all of which were exhausting to me. Yes, there are many ways to chop a bell pepper, depending on how it will be used, but I’d prefer not to discuss it for too long!

]]> Employees Should Cover Each Other https://magnusinsights.com/employees-should-cover-each-other/ Thu, 15 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3244 This is the 3rd in a series about “covering” or looking out for each other in a work environment. The need to do this is on a top down, down to top, and peer to peer basis. In the immediately prior post, I mentioned an employee who was hostile to another employee. The fact that this was happening was unknown to Melissa or me. To some degree it was known to other employees, but the full extent of it was known only to the junior most employee who was being verbally abused by a more senior employee. “Covering” for each other would have required any employee who was aware of the situation to report it. Another time we had an employee who was drinking on the job. When the intoxicated employee was eventually terminated, one employee reported to us that she was aware of the situation but thought we were trying to help the impaired person. Both situations are examples of NOT covering for each other. Being a “tattle tail” certainly has a negative connotation. Allowing bad things to happen in a workplace should outweigh that connotation. Looking out for each other is critical to “mission success.” The lesson we learned from these experiences is that it is important to discuss various scenarios with employees and explain how they should handle observations about problems among and between other employees. Ensuring that staff know what is expected of them in this regard is crucial to doing the right thing, and doing things the right way.

]]> Cover the Employee’s Back https://magnusinsights.com/cover-the-employees-back/ Thu, 08 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3242 As I wrote the prior post about the need for employees to cover the boss’ back, I had this post, and the next one, in mind, because covering for each other is critical. It is important for a boss to keep the health and well being of the employees in mind. In our 30+ years of being employers, Melissa and I have had examples of issues where this came into play. One employee had an issue with the hostility of another employee. In that instance, we were kept in the dark about the extent of the behavior by other employees (see next post). For other reasons, the “bad” employee was terminated and the truth of the hostility came out. Another example was on a research day, when a mock juror was verbally abusive and made racially derogatory comments to one of our employees. Melissa overhead these comments and immediately jumped in to help our employee by dismissing the abusive mock juror. I was quickly enlisted to escort the abuser out of the room and facility. We have always known we did the right thing by ending the abuse as quickly as possible and ensuring there was no residual impact on our team member. Another memorable occasion was when one of our employees, a black, Haitian, male, was followed by our local police department and stopped for questioning on multiple occasions while in our neighborhood. I decided the only way to “cover the employee’s back” was to approach a supervisor in our small police department about the issue. Ironically, the supervisor was a minority as well, an Asian man, who at first didn’t know how to react to the situation. But, after a bit of discussion, he helped me come up with a solution that eliminated the “harassment” of our minority employees. These are things you never learn about in business school. Things you may not consider otherwise. But, they are things that demonstrate the need to look out for employees in ways that go beyond the norms of a job.

]]> Cover the Boss’ Back https://magnusinsights.com/cover-the-boss-back/ Thu, 01 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3240 Who has your back? As a business owner, doing everything is difficult. The ability to rely on employees is critical. In this post, I am reflecting on how some employees are better than others at thinking of the boss’ or company’s best interest. Those who don’t think about the boss, or the company, are a detriment to the organization. As employers, Melissa and I have to depend on the employees not only to do their jobs, but to help us do ours. They need to be our eyes and ears because part of our job keeps us on the road, and focusing on many things. Simple examples of this are keeping up with the mail or messages. Obviously, I’m talking about employees who have earned our trust, but having someone keep up with the mail, alerting us to new cases (which one client often initiated by sending us letters), billing due dates or telephone messages. We’ve had many other things that employees have been in the position to “field” like a baseball player catching a fly ball. On research days, there are many, many factors at play. Relaying information about mock jurors, questions from clients, or issues with a facility (meals, the room temperature, audio/visual equipment) is essential. Sharing the information with us, as the bosses, is important. Being kept in the dark is not what we need. Most employees who have made it past their probationary period seem to have that ability. Those who don’t see this as a part of their job need to work elsewhere. And, those who have intentionally sabotaged the working relationship are beyond redemption.

]]> Give Someone a Chance https://magnusinsights.com/give-someone-a-chance/ Tue, 02 Aug 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3204 John Lennon wrote a song called “Give Peace a Chance.” It is a great song and it has provided me with considerable inspiration over the years. This post is not about giving peace a chance, however. Instead, it is about giving someone a chance. Who is that someone? It could be someone who is young, inexperienced, eager to work, hungry, or just about anyone, for that matter. David and I were fortunate, in our early years of owning and operating Magnus Research Consultants, to have been given a chance by several people. Mike Corso, a prominent attorney in my hometown of Fort Myers, Florida, told David and me to feel free to use his law office if we needed anything, from conference space to a quiet place to rest between meetings. The late Pat Geraghty, also a prominent Fort Myers attorney, retained Magnus on a high profile case soon after we started Magnus and continued to hire us until his passing. Then there was Charlie Stiles. Mr. Charles Stiles was the father of one of my childhood friends, Mary. Our families were neighbors for several years during the time Mary and I were in elementary school and Mary and I were frequent playmates. When David and I founded Magnus, we went around Fort Myers “knocking on doors” for business. Mr. Stiles, as I always called him, was in an executive role at a large bank downtown. David and I went to visit him, to inform him of our new business venture and to get his ideas about who else to call upon as we ramped up our marketing efforts. Lo and behold, Mr. Stiles said he could use our help with a project the bank was planning to do. This project involved marketing research which, by then, I had been doing for 10 years. Although I had no experience conducting marketing research in banking or finance, Mr. Stiles was confident that my research skills could be easily applied to meet his bank’s requirements. Our research project was executed with flawless precision; we made a presentation of the results to the highest echelon of the bank, who seemed pleased with our work; and we were well compensated for our work. It seems that Charlie Stiles was right to place his confidence in me and my fledgling company! David and I have discussed this example of “giving someone a chance” for almost 30 years now. One never knows how much help he or she can provide to someone who needs it. Give someone a chance. And thank you, Mr. Charlie Stiles, for giving me a chance! May you rest in peace.

]]> The Confounded Bridge https://magnusinsights.com/the-confounded-bridge/ Tue, 19 Jul 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3200 The confounded bridge! This expression appears to have originated in the 1973 song, “The Crunge,” by Led Zeppelin (on the Houses of the Holy album). At the end of the song, either John Bonham or Robert Plant asks, (music historians disagree on whose voice is being heard) “Where’s the confounded bridge?”. This is a reference to James Brown, whose songs usually involved irregular forms, such that he had to say “Take me to the bridge” to inform his band it was time to play the bridge part of the song. The bridge in a song is used to contrast the usual structure of verse/chorus/verse/chorus that is common in many songs. The bridge, or b section, of a song is a transitional section that usually occurs in the middle and is used to prepare for the return of the verse/chorus structure. The bridge often has a different chord and/or rhythmic structure than the rest of the song and can be difficult for musicians to play (thus, Led Zeppelin’s reference to the confounded nature of the bridge). Outside the U.S.A., the bridge of a song is called the “middle 8,” due to the fact that it is usually 4 or 8 musical bars. Many songs by The Beatles contain a bridge, or as they called it, the middle 8, written by the non primary song writer. For example, if a song’s verses and chorus were written by John Lennon, Paul McCartney frequently wrote the middle 8 (and vice versa). The purpose of the bridge is to provide a new angle, advance the story of the song, or introduce a new element. In my life, most situations involve a musical reference. For me, the bridge in life, as in music, can be a different perspective on a familiar situation, a change in ways of doing something, or an entirely new way of looking at the world. In music, I am always listening for the bridge to determine where the song will be taking me. One never knows when that confounded bridge will appear.

]]> Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff https://magnusinsights.com/dont-sweat-the-small-stuff/ Thu, 16 Jun 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3149 “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” is a phrase used to suggest one should relax, chill out, and not worry about the little things, things which sometime seem out of one’s control. Well, that’s great. But, our “day job” as trial consultants doesn’t allow it. Neither does my prior advocation, photography. For example, when photographing people at events, the photographer has to watch the person’s expression; if it is a group of people, it is even more challenging. The photographer has to look at the eyes, the smiles, the hands, feet, etc. Ensuring things are in focus and that there are no distracting details in the background, or foreground, are all a part of capturing an image for a professional photographer. In our work as trial consultants, we have to watch the small details. Are the lunches ready? Did the catering folks get the order right according to the banquet event order – the contract? Where are the chips and the condiments? Are all the cables connected for the video cameras to record the session? Is everything working? Have all the cables been taped down to prevent tripping? Are the notepads on the tables? How about pens for everyone to take notes? Is the A/V working to project PowerPoint or similar images? Are the mock jurors arriving on time? Do we need to call the recruiter to track down late arrivals? What time is dinner to be served? There are seemingly an endless number of variables, small stuff, that go into a mock trial. We’ve done these long enough to have our own, well refined, protocols, but it involves sweating the small stuff. I often sweat the arrival of the first quorum of jurors. We recruit extras, but until we have the required 6 or 12, I’m nervous. Sweating the small stuff is, in my opinion, something we have to do to ensure clients are satisfied that we’ve done everything we can to make their days a success and that they are getting what they pay for when hiring Magnus (and we don’t work cheap). And, ultimately I believe that is why clients so often compliment us on the research days.

]]> Nothing To Do Except Write a Book https://magnusinsights.com/nothing-to-do-except-write-a-book/ Tue, 15 Mar 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3087 With Magnus’ long term business downturn related to the pandemic and its hugely negative impact on the court system in the U.S.A., I have found myself with little work to do. Although David is busy trying to find new clients and cases, handling routine administrative duties, and operating our business, my job consists primarily of working on cases for which we have been retained. Thus, during times when we have no clients who are paying for our services, I have nothing or almost nothing to do. (Sure, I could call or email clients to say, “Hey, do you have any work for Magnus to do?” but I have never found that to be particularly productive.) As anyone who knows me is aware, I like to work and I dislike having no work to do. I can do things other than work, such as play the bass guitar or piano, read a book, or go to the beach, but these types of pursuits become tiresome for me within a short time. Therefore, instead of sitting around, worrying about when our next case will be, I decided to occupy my time by writing a book. I have authored 3 books and numerous articles and I guarantee that writing is a great way to pass the time! For many years, I have wanted to write a book about the relationship between 2 subjects I enjoy. In addition, I have another book topic that is waiting for me to explore. I won’t divulge the topic of my book in this post, but suffice it to say, I am excited about the possibilities it presents. I have planned each of the 12 chapters and outlined the subject matter within each one. I have also written the prologue. I have lots of work to do, but when time allows, I will keep writing until one day, there is a new book for people to read! Gardening, pickleball, and other trivial pursuits may be great for some people, but I am not among them. Instead, I think I’ll write another book!

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