Archive | Careers

Do what you say

As a follow up to a post in which I quoted a line from Jimmy Buffett’s song, “Clichés,” “Say what you mean and mean what you say,” I will add another thought, “Do what you say.” Many people talk about doing something, but when it comes down to actually accomplishing what they have talked about, […]

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This is a topic Melissa initiated – that’s how these posts work. One of us generates the topic and then becomes the first author/blogger. The first author writes what ends up in the left column of the post, the second author then responds. Many times the right column posts follows or expands upon the left […]

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What is cognitive psychology?

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 30, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of perceiving, remembering, and thinking about the world.  Cognition includes all sensory inputs, such as vision and hearing.  In the early days of cognitive psychology, beginning with Ulric Neisser’s 1967 book, titled, Cognitive Psychology, sensations and perceptions were studied via experiments, skilled observation, and, to a lesser extent, introspection. […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 30, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

Similar to my learning curve when meeting Melissa regarding social psychology, I also had to try to understand cognitive psychology.  I am glad today that I have some degree of understanding of both fields, given how much impact they have in our trial consulting work.  The truth is that knowledge of both fields expands far […]

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When we all think the same, watch out

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 25, 2016

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

I recently read a Wall Street Journal article with the same title as this post, “When we all think the same, watch out.” I smiled when I saw it because I was already thinking I could figure out where this was going. As it turned out, it related to the economy and the factors that […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 25, 2016

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

Groupthink is a dangerous social psychological phenomenon. It was first defined by Irving Janis in 1971 as pressures toward uniformity due to group members’ desire to agree with their leader. Groupthink is most likely to occur when: (1) the group is cohesive; (2) there are structural faults in the group (such as an absence of […]

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What is social psychology?

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 23, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

When I tell people I am a social psychologist, I usually have to follow up with an explanation of what it means to be a psychologist who specializes in something other than counseling people with mental health issues (the purview of clinical psychologists). Social psychology is the scientific study of people in groups. Social psychology […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 23, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

I admit that when Melissa and I met, I did not know how to define the sub fields of psychology.  I took a general psychology course in college and considered minoring it psychology, but with 3 majors I didn’t have time to add it.  However, as I got to know Melissa and learned more about […]

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Sharpening the Saw

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 18, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Small Business Success

The last of the 7 habits discussed in the 1989 book by Dr. Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is entitled “Sharpening the Saw.” This habit has been summarized as focusing on continuous growth and improvement. Dr. Covey focused on 4 areas of self-renewal: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. I read […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 18, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Small Business Success

It is an irony of modern litigation that “trial lawyers” rarely go to trial. In fact, many of Magnus’ clients, all of whom are trial lawyers, have not had a jury trial in several years. Not only are these attorneys in danger of losing their edge in the courtroom due to an absence of practicing […]

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Be precise

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 16, 2016

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

My education and training in social psychology taught me to be precise. For example, when reporting research results, it is essential to include the level of statistical significance so that other researchers know the strength of the research finding, as well as whether it can be generalized to other situations. My training also relates to […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 16, 2016

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

Melissa’s precision is well beyond that required of her as a social scientist. But, it is clearly strong in her rigor of both research design and the analysis of the findings. It is those things that make her a well regarded trial consultant. It is, however, more due to her personality as she clearly explains. […]

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The Bedside Note Pad

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 11, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Small Business Success

Ask an entrepreneur what keeps him or her up at night and one of many answers you will likely get is a fear of forgetting to do something. I don’t know how many things I tried to make myself remember at 3 or 4 a.m. before I read a very simple, and what should be […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 11, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Small Business Success

As fond as I am of making lists, writing notes, and keeping records of my life on various calendars, I do not share David’s penchant for writing notes to myself in the middle of the night. The middle of the night, in my opinion, is for sleeping, not note writing. I have never, ever, stayed […]

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Don’t rely on memory; make lists

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 28, 2016

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

It sometimes surprises me that things I find very basic are not obvious to new hires. I know that my brain cannot possibly keep track of all I need to do such that I have long used lists. I recall being very organized in college about classes, assignments, etc., and perhaps not everyone has to […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 28, 2016

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

People vary in their memory function, just as they vary on other personal dimensions. There are some people, like me, who remember most things, in great detail and with accuracy; then, there are other people who don’t (or can’t) remember much of anything. Most people, of course, are someplace in the middle of these two […]

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You’ll be old too

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 28, 2016

Category: Careers, Common Courtesy

There is a line in The Beatles’ song, “When I’m 64″ that says, “You’ll be older too…” and just like the composer of that song, Sir Paul McCartney, you’ll be old, I’ll be old, and we’ll all be old (if we live long enough) someday. And, just like Paul McCartney, who wrote this famous song […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 28, 2016

Category: Careers, Common Courtesy

Melissa says, “Get ready – it (growing older) will happen to you.” Well, maybe it already has, those birthdays seem to come faster as the numbers get larger. But, while the years add up, and there is perhaps a desire sometimes to turn the clock back, the reality is one must just enjoy the ride […]

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Not so hidden talents: Cat Writer’s Association

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 23, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Life Outside of Work, Work-Life

We often know our clients, our friends and our acquaintances for specific reasons. We know them through work, school, social groups or church. Unless they are very close, we often only have a 1 dimensional perspective of the person. It has been interesting to us over the years to learn more about our clients. We […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 23, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Life Outside of Work, Work-Life

I have authored and published numerous scientific articles in professional journals, including psychology journals and legal publications.  I have also co-authored and published two books related to my profession, social psychology.  Overall, these publications have earned me the respect of my colleagues and clients, but they are not what anyone would refer to as “light […]

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