Archive | Business personalities

“Why are you here, just to carry her suitcases?”

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 13, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Work-Life

This is an expansion on the post about “When your wife’s a diva…” and was also a comment by a long time client who invited Melissa to speak at a conference of architects and engineers.  It was a big conference, maybe 1000 attendees, and in a fancy, old, New Orleans landmark hotel.  Our client saw […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 13, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Work-Life

I have carried my suitcases and my briefcase for a very, very long time, all across the United States, as well as many parts of the world. I don’t need anyone to help me, but I very much appreciate the help when it is offered. One of my biggest helpers, other than David, was a […]

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When your wife’s a diva…

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 7, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Work-Life

Melissa and I laughed when we came up with this title/topic. It was inspired by something that is a reality in our business arrangement. She frequently lectures at meetings of lawyers, insurance adjusters, and other groups. Our “deal” is that she’ll write the speech and do the speaking, but I have to be the A/V […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 7, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Work-Life

I will begin this post by saying I am a huge fan of Mr. John Osbourne, more commonly known as Ozzy Osbourne, the former (and surprisingly), current, lead singer for Black Sabbath. Therefore, when I liken myself to Ozzy, I am, in no way whatsoever, disparaging him; rather, I am merely comparing myself to someone […]

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Contingency planning

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 30, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Managing Employees, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Work-Life

The demands of a small business are such that long term or contingency planning are uncommon when compared to big businesses.  However, it is critical for business owners to put some thought into contingency plans and to revise these plans periodically.  We can never be prepared for every contingency, but considering the many foreseeable issues […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 30, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Managing Employees, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Work-Life

I am a planner, both a short range planner and a long range planner. I constantly think about the “what ifs?” in every situation. I spoke recently with someone who said she puts all unpleasant thoughts out of her mind. My response was “I have to think about the unpleasant things until I have resolved […]

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Monday is my favorite day of the week

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 21, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

I have supervised countless employees over the years and I have noticed a general tendency for them to dread Mondays. There have been many, many Mondays when I arrive at the office, only to be greeted with yawns, hung over expressions, and other indications that the employees’ weekend was short lived. I constantly remind my […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 21, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

It would be interesting to poll other entrepreneurs and business owners to find out if Monday is their favorite day too; I suspect it would be so. I agree with Melissa, if one owns a business, one had better be recharged after a weekend and ready to go at it again. The challenges of small […]

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When you get to work for a former employee, student, etc.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 15, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

It is impossible to know where the twists and turns in life will take us. I have always lived by that motto, as well as the motto to be as nice as possible to everyone because you just never know how a certain person will be involved in your life in future years. My spouse/business […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 15, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

In contrast to the line from the song Paperlate by Genesis “There’s no need to be nice on the way up, cos you’re not coming down” the truth is you never know where things can lead so you’d better be nice on the way up, down, or sideways when dealing with support staff, associates, students, […]

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Been there, done that

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 25, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Travel

I first heard this expression when I arrived in Sydney in 1985 and was speaking with the woman from whom I rented a room – she said it in a travel context of having been to a destination and not being impressed, so she was never returning. Subsequently I have heard this with the addition […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 25, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Travel

David is right. I have “been there, done that, got the t-shirt, got the coffee mug” and I am not going back to many, many places. I have also “been there and done that” when it comes to spending my valuable time with certain people; in other words, I have moved on, I am over […]

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Force Feeding Employees

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 18, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Litigation Tips, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Workplace Technology

Force feeding certainly has a negative connotation and perhaps isn’t the best connotation in a work environment.  But, sometimes you have to really push employees to do things and to do them in a way you, their boss, want them done.  In recent years, one of the things I have had to force has been […]

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The older I get, and the more experience I have as a social psychologist, the younger and more inexperienced my employees appear to me. Work tasks they are completing for the first time are often tasks I have been performing for decades. Things that are second nature to me are sometimes difficult for them. Because […]

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NO CURSING AT WORK

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 25, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

I have never been in the Navy, or the Coast Guard for that matter, but I run a tight ship. And, in the ship that is my corporation, cursing has absolutely no place during work hours. This prohibition against cursing includes the times when we are working in the office as well as the times […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 25, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

Professional decorum is an important part of the image of a company and this is one of the reasons for our policy against foul language. But, the tone set in environments where such language is common is also damaging beyond the corporate image – it damages employee morale. The hostility of workplaces where such language […]

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If you say you are detailed oriented, don’t have a typo in your cover letter!

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 12, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees

Concerning the “how to get hired” topic, I’ll add this obvious post. Our job in the trial consulting world requires a high level of conscientiousness, a very detailed orientation. As I explain to applicants and new hires, our clients are attorneys. They are paid to find mistakes; we don’t give them any freebies. Undoubtedly, there […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 12, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees

In the most recent round of searching for a new Research Associate, we also received a resume` from someone who, in an attempt to stand out among all of the other job applicants, intentionally built in a typo and noted it with a joking comment. Trust me, this applicant got noticed, but not in a […]

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If you apply for the job, be qualified!

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 4, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees

We have recently been trying to fill our Research Associate position. We have what we believe to be a carefully worded job ad which I post at colleges and other places. There are a few, very specific, minimum requirements in the ad, for example, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology or Sociology and statistical experience. I […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 4, 2014

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees

I dislike wasting paper, thereby killing trees. Unfortunately, I have been wasting paper and killing trees, due to the fact David has received numerous resumes from people who should never have applied for the job we are advertising. For example, the job we are currently trying to fill specifies, as its absolute minimum requirement, someone […]

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