Archive | Employment

Do You Still Need to Practice?

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 29, 2021

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Research, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants

Recently, I remarked to my bass guitar teacher, Phill Fest, that many of my friends question my need to take bass lessons, due to the fact I have been playing the bass guitar for over 20 years. (This was the subject of a previous post, in which I mentioned that, although I have been playing […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 29, 2021

I took piano lessons as a child, but fishing seemed much more fun than piano, so I didn’t play piano long! But, call it what you want, practice, playing, fishing, getting better, and staying strong at anything takes time and effort. I’ve written about Dr. Fran Kinne before. She started playing piano at age 3 […]

Happy Roofers

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 8, 2021

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

On the day I am writing this post, David’s and my roof is in the third day of being removed, in preparation for a new roof to be installed. Although we have been through this process in the past, in 2005, when we lost the roof on our previous house during Hurricane Wilma, our current […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 8, 2021

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

This whole re-roofing process has been an experience. The happy roofers part makes some of it into a positive one. I’ve never seen anything like it. The energy of these guys after 12 hours in the hot sun, on a roof, is inspiring. The work is incredibly hard. The materials are heavy, and what we […]

High Anxiety

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 27, 2021

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Magnus’ clients are attorneys involved in high stakes litigation. Whether they represent the plaintiff(s) or defendant(s), they are under a great deal of pressure to get the best result for their clients. Even when they don’t show it, we know this is a high stress situation. Putting together a mock jury research project is intense. […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 27, 2021

David’s title, “High Anxiety,” instantly reminded me of the 1977 Mel Brooks movie of the same name. However, that’s where the similarity both begins and ends. While Mel Brooks’ movie was a farcical comedy, Magnus’ cases are anything but comedic. Many of our cases are tragic and all of them involve high stakes. The attorneys […]

Social desirability

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 27, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Jury Behavior, Jury Consultants, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Psychology, Small Business Success

Social desirability has important implications in jury selection. Social desirability refers to the phenomenon of saying or doing something because “everybody else” does. For example, when an attorney or a judge asks a prospective juror whether he/she can put aside all biases, predisposed beliefs, and personal feelings and instead, be an impartial judge of the […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 27, 2021

Answering a question in a socially desirable way implies there is a “right” or expected answer, to some degree. In the basic courtroom questioning of prospective jurors as to whether they “can be fair,” it is pretty obvious that one is not expected to say “no”. Being fair is a fundamental trait that most people […]

Your Momma Doesn’t Work here…

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 22, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

This topic has been on my list for a long time. It is another example, among many, where Melissa and I have been surprised at the actions of employees and we have learned something along the way. “Your momma doesn’t work here” might be the start of certain admonitions, such as “Your momma doesn’t work […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 22, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

Readers of David’s and my post may think we sometimes “color the truth” to exaggerate the experiences we have had as employers, small business owners, and consultants with attorneys as clients. We don’t. It’s all true. The truth is, in many instances, more wacky than any story I could invent! I often think of my […]

Hard Work

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 15, 2021

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

Always learning – that’s the reality of life, and in operating a business. A lesson learned many years ago happened when we hired a young woman as a research associate. She fit all of our hiring criteria for education, background, etc. She was attractive and well dressed. Her appearance was important to her as evidenced […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 15, 2021

Hooray for Jessica! As David mentioned, after our experience with one of our former employees, who resigned over too many broken fingernails, we were delighted to hire Jessica Nurek (now Jessica Palomino) because, not only was she qualified for the research associate job, she was not afraid of performing hard work. Cleaning animal stalls is […]

I’m a Professional Judge of Character – Trust my 1st Impression

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 30, 2021

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

There have been several notable examples of my, and others’, questioning my first impressions of someone. On all of these occasions, my first impression was correct and unfortunately, questioning it caused negative turns of events. In that, as a psychologist, I am what most people would consider “a professional judge of character,” I have tried […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 30, 2021

One aspect of owning a business never gets easier – hiring. I feel like it is always a gamble. And, I’m apparently not a good gambler because I’ve taken chances on hiring people who turned out to be ill equipped to do our work, or worse, a really bad fit, a bad choice, maybe a […]

Choose not to decide

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 18, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Mental Health, Psychology

“If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.” This is a line from the RUSH song Freewill (on 1980’s Permanent Waves album). That line has stuck with me since I first heard it. Perhaps, in keeping with a few recent posts on ghosting, different directions, etc., but first, in my career […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 18, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Mental Health, Psychology

Indecision is something that is not part of my personality. I like to get it done, move forward, press on, and go onward and upward. People who stare, seemingly endlessly, at a restaurant menu because they can’t decide what to eat are near the top of my pet peeves list. It’s really not that important: […]

Tribute to Willy

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 16, 2021

Category: Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Mental Health, Psychology, Small Business Success, Work-Life

I am writing this on March 3, 2021, one of the saddest days in the long history of Magnus Research Consultants. Last night, our beloved office dog, Willy, passed away of a brain tumor. Willy was the dog of David’s and my wonderful employee and friend, Megan. For the past 7 years, Willy worked in […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 16, 2021

As you can tell, this dog, Willy, was truly hu(mans) best friend. Willy and Megan were tight – she trained him well. And, he trained her well also. She communicated with him in his language – she knew what he was trying to tell her. Usually things like, pay attention to me, feed me, walk […]

Always Take First Watch

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 9, 2021

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Business Travel, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, RoadWarrior, Travel, Trial Consultants

Always take the first watch. I received this sage advice many years ago, from a friend who spent most of his life in the United States Navy. The rationale is that one will be less tired during the first watch than in later shifts. First watch, of course, is usually the daytime hours, such as […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 9, 2021

Always take first watch, unless Melissa beats you to it! After that, I’m not sure which is better, 2nd or 3rd watch. It might depend on whether it is night or day, and whether sleep is possible. Though I wasn’t onboard for the hurricane avoidance drive, I remember it well. I had the outsider’s view, […]

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Archive | Employment

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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