Over the past 2 months, I’ve been battling American Express to get them to correct a colossal mistake THEY made, but for which they blamed us/me and penalized us accordingly. To be fair to American Express, Chase Bank also failed during this time period, but not as badly as American Express. The issue common to […]
Archive | Business Relationships
You can go to Wal-Mart, Kmart…
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 […]
The good news is that it usually lightens the mood when these discussions ensue. Or I should say, it now does. My Dad’s tendency in this regard sometimes got irritating in that he questioned so many trivial items. This includes debating in which parking space I should park when taking him and Mom to dinner […]
Employees Should Cover Each Other
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 […]
Although it has been over 30 years since I have been an employee, as opposed to an employer, I can recall what it was like to have co-workers and colleagues. The best example I am aware of is my colleague, and now, long time friend, Dr. Susan Broome, who looked out for me in an […]
Cover the Employee’s Back
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 […]
I strive to be a good boss. I thank all of my employees, and vendors, for completing tasks to which they have been assigned. I thank the employees at the end of every work day for everything they have done that day to help me. I am aware that, absent the help I receive from […]
Mutual Admiration Societies
There are relatively few people with whom I share a mutual admiration. Don’t get me wrong: I like a lot of people and there are some people who like me, but that is different than my definition of a mutual admiration society. The first person who comes to mind is the first person who used […]
One thing that comes to my mind about Mutual Admiration Societies is realizing that one is in one. What I mean is, we often get acquainted with people we admire, from afar or up close. The part that is different about mutual admiration societies is the “mutual” part. This may not be immediate. It may […]
Give Someone a Chance
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, […]
In the early days of Magnus, we made lots of calls on people, never knowing where they would lead. The visit to Charlie Stiles was one of those and, given Melissa’s connection with him, he was very supportive. Despite the fact that, as Magnus has evolved, most of our work has been litigation related, in […]
Share The Positives
I observed Melissa do something today that is worth comment. She complimented our clients for the professional and supportive ways they have worked with us, and as a team, to prepare for a jury research project. The clients seemed taken aback to hear a compliment, and they were surprised their behavior was noteworthy. It is […]
I believe in giving credit where and when credit is due. When I notice something good, I usually say something about it. In fact, I try, diligently, to compliment people and situations more than I complain. I have found complaining rarely results in positive attitude or behavior change. (If you don’t believe me, ask yourself […]
Run of the House
I booked a hotel room recently and, while navigating the rates, I came across one that said “run of house.” I know this means “you get what we’ve got left.” It is doubtful that this would ever be an exciting upgrade, but maybe. In my experience, upgrades rarely happen even when I’m paying higher rates. […]
The expression, “run of the house” does not have a positive connotation for me. I prefer to know what I am getting and even more than that, I prefer to know I am getting the best I can possibly get. I dislike most surprises because many people are not as discerning as me, therefore, what […]
The Problem With This Case is the Client.
An attorney client of ours recently told Melissa that his client is a problem. He said, “the problem with this case is my client.” He was pretty direct, but we’ve heard this, or some variation thereof, countless times. In this case, the client is wealthy (and accustomed to getting his way as a result). He’s […]
I often wonder if “problem clients” know their attorney considers them to be a problem. Or, are they demanding, arrogant, and self centered to the point they have no idea of the impact they have on other people? Many times, the end client (defined as one of the primary parties in the lawsuit, that is, […]
Magnus’ Women Power
In the almost 30 years that David and I have co-owned Magnus Research Consultants, we have employed many people of both sexes. We have had several long term employees, 2 of whom are men and 2 of whom are women. In addition, there have been 3 women who are former Magnus employees who have gone […]
On the day I started writing this post, Melissa was wearing a pink t-shirt that said “Pretty Good for a Girl.” I bought it for her at a Mindi Abair jazz concert. Mindi has a song by that title because it is a phrase she’s heard many times over her career. She decided to embrace […]