Archive | Careers

Exude Confidence/Lean In

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 28, 2022

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

I’ve had a few instances in my working life when clients or customers reported to me, or my bosses, that I exude confidence. They were reporting that my performance stood out to them in some way. I’ve had similar experiences with particularly good workers in numerous settings. I suppose, by definition, most people are average, […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 28, 2022

I am a lot of things, but “average” is not one of them. Never has been. Never will be. I can’t relate to how it must be to be average. (People who have heard me play the bass guitar may disagree with my statement that I am not average, however, my long time teacher, a […]

Live Your Life Like Someone Left the Gate Open

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 26, 2022

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Travel, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Psychology, RoadWarrior, Small Business Success, Travel, Work-Life

I don’t remember where I saw this quote for the first time, but I instantly liked it: “Live your life like someone left the gate open.” I guess there are multiple interpretations of this sentence, however, my view of it is that, as David’s late mother used to say, we should try to “have fun” […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 26, 2022

For reasons I won’t go into, the timing of my reading of Melissa’s post was, well, timely. We sometimes have to remind ourselves, and each other, to have fun, find fun where we can, and to leave that gate open to get out and enjoy what there is to enjoy in life. It might be […]

Share The Positives

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 21, 2022

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Jury Research, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Psychology, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

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 […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 21, 2022

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 […]

Old School

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 12, 2022

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consultants, Workplace Technology

In many ways, I, and people like me, are considered “old school” or “retro.” Someone recently complimented me on an Alice Cooper t-shirt I was wearing, saying he really liked its “old school” look. I still use expressions from “back in the day,” such as groovy, psychedelic, cool (instead of hot, meant to describe something […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 12, 2022

I don’t know when a part of one’s life, bell bottom pants for example, take hold as the norm such that later they become old school. And, while Melissa is more retro that I am in terms of fashion, etc., she’s newer school in keeping up with modern rock music than am I. She does […]

Lessons Learned the Hard Way

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 5, 2022

Category: Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Deliberations, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Workplace Technology

I make mistakes, a lot of them. A few minutes ago, David pointed out my most recent mistake, for which I apologized. I almost always take responsibility for my mistakes and I try to correct them when it is possible to do so. Fortunately, none of my mistakes have resulted in seriously negative outcomes for […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 5, 2022

Some of the lessons learned at the top of my list are not really mistake driven, but lessons learned due to many of the unique aspects of doing trial consulting work, including working with highly successful, demanding clients (attorneys) on difficult and complex cases. And, further, while we are not doing “rocket science,” there are […]

Modern Communications

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 23, 2022

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Workplace Technology

Writing this post in mid 2022, I want to comment on modern communications technologies. Especially due to the pandemic, the “modern” technologies of cellular telephones and virtual meetings (Zoom, etc.) have become more common in the world of business. This is for better or worse, depending on point of view. These technologies are great because […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 23, 2022

David spends significantly more time talking on the telephone than I do, but I share his frustrations. The poor quality of some people’s internet connections make it difficult to have a meaningful telephone conversation. This is compounded when the conversation is via a platform, such as Zoom, that includes both audio and video components. Constant reminders […]

Zenobia

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 21, 2022

Category: Business Travel, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Psychology, RoadWarrior, Small Business Success, Travel, Work-Life

Recently, a long time friend of my family’s, Woody Hanson, posted an old photo on a social media site that brought back fond memories. The photo was of Zenobia King Hill, the owner of a modeling school in my hometown of Fort Myers, Florida. Zenobia was from Alabama; she attended the famous John Robert Powers […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 21, 2022

I’ve heard many stories about Zenobia over the years, but it was not until I saw the photo Melissa referenced, with the description, that I actually knew how her name was spelled. Melissa, as well as some of her friends, have spoken fondly of Zenobia over the years. I’ve heard about the life skills learned, […]

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 16, 2022

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

“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 […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 16, 2022

This topic, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff,” came up recently during a slightly heated debate David and I were having about the proper way to prepare something we were having for dinner. (As the reader might imagine, David and I have many debates, some over trivial matters, on an almost daily basis.) I don’t recall […]

Magnus’ Women Power

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 24, 2022

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

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 […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 24, 2022

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 […]

Old School Tech

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 19, 2022

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

I recently read an article about the executive director of a professional association who uses an IBM typewriter to send notes to members. He said he liked using a typewriter to personalize the notes. I thought it was pretty cool to use old school technology so effectively. I could never afford an IBM typewriter, those […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 19, 2022

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

David and I have written about our fondness for “old school” things in several previous posts. Although I never owned a typewriter, nor am I a good typist, I appreciate David’s fondness for his trusty old typewriter. It comes in handy when he makes labels for files in our personal filing cabinet. I remember David’s […]

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Archive | Careers

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

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