Archive | Getting the Job Done

Just – Do It

I used to work in a large corporation where staff meetings, committee meetings, and meetings of other varieties were commonplace. These meetings seemed, to me, to drone on endlessly, with much discussion, but little actual work, being accomplished. In the years I have co-owned and operated a small business, I have kept meetings to a […]

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I believe “Just Do It” has been Melissa’s motto for longer than it has been Nike’s. In other words, she likes to “git er done.” While meetings are often necessary to coordinate to ensure that everyone will get things done with the same information and goals in mind, as Dilbert illustrates, meetings often take on […]

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Data driven litigation

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 3, 2015

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

More and more, there are articles about “big data” and how businesses are “data driven.”  I find some of the applications for data analysis interesting and innovative.  However, what is striking to me is that many of these articles are written as if this is new news.  Maybe some of it is, but to me, […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 3, 2015

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

In my profession of social psychology, it is impossible not to be data driven! Data are the primary source of information I use to perform my job on behalf of my clients. I share David’s bemused attitude regarding recent media accounts of “big data” and companies becoming “data driven,” along with his recognition that these […]

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Mike Cefalo’s notes

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On September 1, 2015

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

A client of mine told me something valuable a long time ago. He said he writes personal notes, on stationery, in handwriting, to several people each week who have done something noteworthy. I asked him how he found the time to do this, due to his busy schedule as a high profile trial lawyer residing […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On September 1, 2015

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

In a time when instant communications are the norm, old fashioned, paper, pen, and stamps count for more than ever. The decrease in “real mail” is remarkable and that makes notes, as Melissa describes, more noteworthy. Or at least more noticeable than a decade ago. All the more reason to do this. We treasure the […]

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Facilitating Fraud: Part 2

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 27, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

Shame on Bank of America. It happened again. I guess it is different day, different tricks for the criminals in this world. Recently we learned the hard way how easy it is for criminals to commit check fraud using the modern convenience of mobile banking. I could not believe it when I saw an employee […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 27, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

The ability to perpetuate this fraud is simple enough for almost anyone to figure out; that is, anyone except modern day banking institutions. The person who stole from my company by electronically depositing a photo of my company’s check, then cashing the same check at her local grocery store, was an uneducated woman from a […]

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See what is there to be seen

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 25, 2015

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

Just as many people are unable to listen, really listen, many people look without really seeing. I have always been a keen observer of my surroundings, including people and places. If I have gone to a place once, I know how to get there again. To place it in medical terms, I am oriented times […]

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As a photographer, I try hard to see what is there to be seen. This can be difficult when one doesn’t know what one is looking for. But, with a little effort, what is there to be seen emerges, on a macro or micro level. I have heard people say, “the Everglades are boring, there’s […]

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“You never know what a jury will do…”

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 20, 2015

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

I was recently a plaintiff in a lawsuit. I have been the client of lawyers a few times – a real role reversal for a trial consultant – and it is eye opening to see how the attorneys interact with their clients, and how the process works. The nature of my case is not important […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 20, 2015

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

The point of this post is “know your audience.” I was present when the mediator assigned to David’s case made the remark about settling the case due to never knowing what a jury will do. Although it is technically true that no one, included experienced jury and trial consultants such as myself, will know with […]

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Listen – really listen

As a psychologist, I am a paid listener. I listen more than I talk. I learn far more from listening than from talking. Most people, in my opinion, talk far more than they listen (and rarely do they have anything of great importance to say!). If one listens, really listens, there are many details that […]

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It is interesting to be an observer both of people (like our mock jurors) and of people’s listening skills (like our attorney clients). Attorneys are paid to talk, to argue, to persuade. But, when they come to us and we do mock jury or mock arbitration research, they have to utilize their listening skills when […]

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“I won’t make that mistake again”

Magnus’ first employee suffered from a lack of foresight. She was unable to think through to completion the results of certain actions. She certainly had many positive traits, but this was not one of them. I do not know how many times we heard her say, “well, I won’t make that mistake again.” While it […]

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There is nothing inherently wrong with learning from one’s mistakes, but there are unavoidable costs associated with making these mistakes. Some of the costs are related to lost time, from expending efforts that are largely unproductive, while other costs are monetary. As small business owners, David and I often bear the brunt of our employees’ […]

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Fort Myers connection & Magnus: Mike Corso

In a recent post, David wrote about a client who verbally and physically assaulted him when David made a “courtesy call” to this attorney’s office without an appointment. As David mentioned, this has never happened in our decades of doing business. In fact, most clients are happy to have us stop by for an impromptu […]

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Melissa and I obviously admire those clients about whom we have posted recently. These posts are about clients whom we have gotten to know in ways beyond the lawsuits and clients for whom they are working. Mike is remarkable to us in how multi dimensional he is. Because of his expertise in engineering, we first […]

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Wish Them Well

As a final post, hopefully ever, in the series on unprofessional lawyers, I am borrowing some lyrics from my favorite rock band, RUSH. Written by Rush’s lyricist and drummer extraordinare, Neil Peart, and featured on their most recent album, Clockwork Angels, the song entitled, “Wish Them Well” is about realizing there is sometimes a need […]

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David finds a lot of inspiration from his favorite band, RUSH.  Unlike the lyricist for RUSH, Neil Peart, I have difficulty wishing well to someone who has harmed me.  However, wishing someone well is probably the healthiest attitude one can take upon being wronged.  The few clients with whom David and I have had an […]

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