Archive | Getting the Job Done

Either you are wrong or I am right. Part 2: Clients

As I was writing the post, “Either you are wrong or I am right,” I thought that, like the album title from which it came, About Face (by David Gilmour) there are perhaps more than 1 way to contemplate this lyric. In the first post I wrote about the implications of behaving, in a personal […]

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I admit to being frustrated by some clients’ insistence that they know everything there is to know, including in an area in which they have zero expertise.  However, I am somewhat entertained by their willingness to set themselves up for failure, when something happens to disprove their incorrect assumptions, and I usually ask them to […]

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Grab your consultant only when the lights are out

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 2, 2016

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

Unfortunately, for many women in all sorts of occupations, sexual harassment is a prevalent part of the work environment. I, like many women in my age cohort, have been sexually harassed by a variety of men (and a few women) in various contexts: bosses, co-workers, professors (when I was a student), fellow students, my students […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 2, 2016

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

Many jobs and job functions put opposite, or even same, gender co-workers in awkward settings.  A dark observation room was certainly one of those for Melissa.  And, because she is quick to defend herself, against this indefensible behavior, a worse problem was averted.  The fact that she had a boss who backed her up was […]

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Either you are wrong or I am right. Part 1: Business Partners

One of the songs from David Gilmour’s 1984 Album About Face was titled “You Know I’m Right.” I enjoyed the entire album by Pink Floyd’s vocalist and (extraordinary) guitarist, starting with the album title which seemed so clever in its dual meanings. But, the lyrics of this song were particularly compelling to think about how […]

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I am not sure whether this statement, “Either you are wrong or I am right” was aimed at a particular person, nor do I know whether it was intended to be interpreted in a tongue in cheek manner.  I am certain, however, that it made a lasting impression on David because he frequently quotes it […]

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Client having an affair with key witness

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 26, 2016

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

Attorneys, particularly trial lawyers, are paid to talk. Most of my clients are excellent talkers/speakers. Psychologists, on the other hand, are paid to listen, to observe, and to notice things other people often do not notice. There are other differences between these two very different professions and the types of people who are drawn to […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 26, 2016

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

I don’t think I have been present during any of the scenarios Melissa has recounted in this series of posts, but I have heard about them 2nd hand, from her, and in some instances, others on our team.  But, it is not just that these observations were made, or experiences endured; it is amazing that […]

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Is it worth getting up at 6 a.m. for that Chamber meeting?

To quickly answer the question in my title, I don’t know. But, I am getting ahead of myself. When we started Magnus in 1993 it seemed like it might be worthwhile to network in certain ways. One of them was to join the Chamber of Commerce and go to the early morning breakfast meetings. It […]

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A long time client of Magnus recently told David that David has the hardest job in our company, in that it involves performing many tasks people often consider undesirable.  One of these tasks is attending networking functions, including those disguised as “social events” because adult beverages are served.  Of all the networking events David has […]

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Jumping up and down when TV breaks

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 19, 2016

Category: Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

Temper tantrums are never cute. They are not cute among children and they are certainly not cute among adults. (My husband’s relative had a temper tantrum in our home when he was way too old for such a violent outburst, resulting in my having to repair and re-paint the wall he repeatedly kicked, such that […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 19, 2016

Category: Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

Our work in the trial consulting arena necessitates the use of technologies that are not perfect.  And, we work in unfamiliar places, with rented equipment like televisions, all of which lead to problems with some regularity.  This is one of those areas where, in our work, “ it happens.”  But, we are almost always able, […]

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Boozing it up before lunch – jurors wondering what’s wrong

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 12, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

The vast majority of my clients conduct themselves in a professional manner when we are working together. Then, there are the others, who are anything but professional. My company, Magnus, works with highly skilled attorneys who pay us a handsome amount of money for our consulting services. Usually, they want to take full advantage of […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 12, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

I don’t know if there are any jobs for which drinking on the job is appropriate.  Maybe wine taster, beer maker, etc., but certainly not anything that requires concentrated effort and attention to detail.  And, a mock trial may be a day out of the office and to some, just a play acting exercise, but […]

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Sick Hotels

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 7, 2016

Category: Business Travel, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consulting

The majority of our mock jury research is conducted in hotel conference space, or occasionally, a market research facility. Whether or not travel with overnight stays is involved, we conduct mock juries and focus groups in all sorts of venues. Some of these conference rooms are first class grand ballrooms, others are musty meeting rooms […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 7, 2016

Category: Business Travel, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consulting

The original title of this post was “candles and hotel sickness.”  David broadened the topic by including other remedies for what we have labeled “hotel sickness,” but I will limit my remarks to the benefits of travel candles.  A dear friend of mine, Margie, is married to a wonderful man who, like me, travels frequently […]

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Mistrial of mock trial

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 6, 2016

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

Many people, when I tell them what I do for a living, inform me that I should write a book about my experiences, some of which are funny, others of which are scary, and still others of which are odd, strange, and curious. In this series of posts, I will describe some of my experiences […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 6, 2016

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

The role of the “opposing counsel” is critical to our work.  We want them to become strong advocates for the other side’s case.  They must be strong advocates of the opposing position – a true devil’s advocate in the mind of the actual client. If they are not, the whole process suffers.  But, in this […]

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Naming the company

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 17, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

We are occasionally asked “How did you come up with the name Magnus Research”? The answer is that we struggled for a while with many options. We had lots of factors that played a role in coming up with a name. And, I suppose for many companies, this is an early decision that takes much […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 17, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

Although “Pigott Research Services” has a nice ring to it, I shudder to think of the number of times I would have to correct clients’ and vendors’ pronunciation of my last name if David and I had chosen to include it in our company’s name!  We gave careful consideration to selecting a name for our […]

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