Archive | Careers

Lawyer Egos

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 9, 2017

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Psychology, Trial Consulting, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

When writing the post about “It ain’t bragging if it is true,” I paused for a minute thinking about how a high impression of oneself – a big ego – is necessary in some settings. Mick Jagger would not be strutting his stuff in front of thousands of people if he didn’t have the ego […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 9, 2017

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Psychology, Trial Consulting, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

Although my job working for lawyers with big egos can sometimes be challenging, it also provides me with many fun experiences. When I am in the presence of attorneys who have over sized egos, I search for ways to find common ground, as a way to foster rapport with them so that they will know […]

When not to smile

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 7, 2017

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work

I wrote in a previous post that I often smile at strangers while I am looking them in the eye, particularly if they appear threatening. In this situation, I am using my smile as a way to deflect a negative event. In general, however, I am not a smiley person. I have often been criticized […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 7, 2017

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work

Smiles, as simple as they are, can be inappropriate or misunderstood. Smiling, as a way to share positive vibes, is, perhaps, a one way action. It may not, as Melissa noted, be appropriate to expect a smile in return. The world can be a difficult place for many – and smiling may not be in […]

Generational Work Ethics

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 26, 2017

Category: Careers, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Managing Employees, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

Digressing before I get started, I begin this post by reporting that Melissa and I read many newspapers, magazines and professional publications to stay current. Melissa subscribes to and promptly reads many psychology journals and publications. This post was prompted by a January 2017 Monitor on Psychology article synopsis reporting findings from a meta-analysis of […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 26, 2017

Category: Careers, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Managing Employees, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

Stereotyping, although it is commonplace, is never a good idea. I will repeat: Stereotyping is never a good idea. Social psychologists, beginning with Dr. Gordon Allport in 1948, have studied stereotypes and their negative impact on decision making in a multitude of contexts. Research on stereotyping has, in general terms, revealed that stereotypes contain a […]

Common sense

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 24, 2017

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

Let’s face it: Some people have no common sense. Other people have some common sense and then there are those fortunate people who have an abundance of what is often referred to as “horse sense.” Like other personality traits, common sense is present on a continuum, with certain people having more than others. Life experience […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 24, 2017

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

It has been interesting as an employer to observe the common sense, and intellectual sense, of employees – at all levels. As Melissa pointed out, a high degree of education often has no correlation with common sense. In fact, in the many years I have known Melissa, I have observed that some of her colleagues […]

Take Initiative

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 19, 2017

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

I’ve been reflecting on what makes a good employee, a good student, or even a “good soldier.” One variable I think makes a tremendous difference is the willingness of an individual to take initiative to get things done. And, borrowing, and modifying the use of the term “lean in” from the 2013 book by Sheryl […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 19, 2017

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

People vary on the personality dimension David refers to as taking initiative. Some people are on the lower end of the spectrum, and are colloquially referred to as “slackers,” while other people are on the higher end of the spectrum, and are often referred to as “taking charge,” “leaders,” and “dependable,” among other things, while […]

I Don’t Care about Research

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 17, 2017

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Tips, Psychology, Trial Consulting

This post was inspired by a recent encounter I had with a young, inexperienced attorney who told me she did not care about research results; instead, she preferred to base her decisions on her past experiences. Wow! Hearing this statement was shocking, in and of itself, but hearing it from a young person was, in […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 17, 2017

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Tips, Psychology, Trial Consulting

Sticking one’s head in the sand and digging in one’s heels when faced with new information are two bad behaviors. Melissa related this story to me upon her return from the courtroom and it amazes me as much as it does her. I don’t know whether it is because this attorney is young, and as […]

You can’t be in the conversation if you don’t open your mouth

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 12, 2017

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work

I thought of this topic, “You can’t be in the conversation if you don’t open your mouth” while thinking back on situations where I perceived post action grumbling by people who did not participate in discussions or decisions. Specifically, there have been many times over the years when, during, for example, a staff meeting, some […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 12, 2017

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work

There are plenty of times when I do not wish to participate in a conversation. These include when conversations involve: (1) people I don’t enjoy being around; (2) topics I am not interested in discussing; (3) someone’s attempt to obtain my professional advice without remuneration; (4) someone’s attempt to engage me in “tie breaking” discourse […]

Catching Juror with her Pants Down

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 29, 2016

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

Melissa recently initiated a series of blog posts about Crazy Juror stories. In writing these posts, I was reminded of another crazy juror story, which wasn’t really that crazy, but it is now in our company folklore and we continue to chuckle about it. A number of years ago, we were working on a large […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 29, 2016

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

The expression, “caught with your pants down” has, for many years, had a literal interpretation for those of us at Magnus. (The Detroit experience was memorable for several other reasons, including hearing one of my employees inform our client that she wished she were a princess living in a castle, but that has been covered […]

Do you really know what I’m thinking? Do you want to know?

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 15, 2016

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Litigation Tips, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

In this final post inspired by a dreadful meeting David and I recently attended, I will cover a dangerous game played by some people. These people, none of whom are psychologists (or our counterparts in the medical field, psychiatrists), have an inflated sense of self and often believe other people share in their belief that […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 15, 2016

There are several takeaway lessons from the fateful meeting which prompted this series of posts. One is definitely “know what you don’t know.” A favorite professor of mine once told me about the difference between smart, and not so smart, people. The smart ones know they don’t know it all and try to learn what […]

A woman can be, and is, the boss

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 8, 2016

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

I have written several previous posts about sexism and its prevalence in many aspects of today’s society. Although there are numerous examples of the removal of gender barriers in many segments of the business world, there remains, in my opinion, an assumption among many people that, being “the boss” means being a man (and a […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 8, 2016

I have always been cognizant of the risks of assumptions – there is that adage about assuming which works pretty well. I want to know who’s who and would never want to “step in it” as the person Melissa describes. My career is fairly unique in that I have mostly had women bosses. Even now, […]

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Archive | Careers

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

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Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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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

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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