Archive | Getting the Job Done

Say thank you

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 30, 2015

Category: Careers, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees

I believe in saying “thank you.” When someone does something nice for me, when someone performs a job I am pleased with, or when someone helps me, I thank him or her. My employees have often expressed surprise about me thanking them for doing a good job. I thank each and every employee, at the […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 30, 2015

Category: Careers, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees

It is interesting how some people are surprised to be sincerely thanked. “Thank you” as a reinforcement of something done and done well is a simple reward that goes a long way. I have worked for at least 2 people who rarely said thank you and, in at least 1 of those cases, it appeared […]

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Working on a Roller Coaster

After well over 20 years in the trial consulting business, I hoped the work load would smooth out and there would not be a constant peak and valley cycle of business. Alas, it appears we’re on a perpetual roller coaster. The cycle is such that there are times we are slammed with what seems like […]

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For the most part, living life on the roller coaster has become easier for me with the passage of time. There used to be a time when, after weeks or months of not having any work to do, I would become convinced we would never work again. Then, just as I had given up all […]

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Directness

No one has ever accused me of “beating around the bush” or being coy. If I say something, there is never any doubt about what I mean and where the other person stands. My employees have sometimes bristled from the feedback I have provided about their poor quality work, even though they have been told […]

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Melissa’s comments are very direct in this post, as they are in her everyday communications. And, while she mentions employee errors, she is also very direct when employees are doing things right. That is, she reinforces their good performance and provides direct praise. And, there is also a need to point out that, while she […]

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Eat defensively

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 16, 2015

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Travel, Trial Consulting

When I began my career as a litigation (jury) consultant many years ago, one of the first pieces of advice a more experienced colleague told me was “eat defensively,” meaning eat when there is food to be eaten because it may be the only opportunity that presents itself. When I am traveling far and wide […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 16, 2015

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Travel, Trial Consulting

Today is one of those eating defensively days for me. I’m attending a conference, writing in the morning before the session which starts at 1:00 p.m. With a specific, 1:00 p.m., start time, clearly lunch has to be early and over with to get to the meeting. And, I am in a “strange” town. Not […]

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When to keep quiet

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 9, 2015

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

As my late mother used to say, “If you can’t say anything nice about someone (or something), don’t say anything at all.” As a very opinionated person, I have often had difficulty following this motto; however, there are times when the reprehensible behavior, outlandish conduct, or unbelievably stupid comment of someone renders me with nothing […]

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Building on what Melissa has written, I am thinking of the old adage, “better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt,” except in this analysis, it would “better to avoid a confrontation than to open your mouth and get into one!” It has been interesting to observe over […]

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Everyone has a boss. Clients = Many Bosses

Almost everyone who works for a living has a boss. Although I am the boss at my workplace, I have many, many bosses, the attorneys, insurance adjusters, and corporate representatives who hire my company and me to help them with their challenging litigation. Often, I must adjust my plans and work schedule to suit one […]

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“Be your own boss.” That’s the supposed appeal of owning a business. But, it is a very flawed observation about owning/operating a business. Whether the business is small or large, the customers, or clients in a service business, are the bosses. And in a service business, more than a product based business, the owner(s) must […]

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Isn’t this stuff just common sense? Part 2 – Jury Consulting

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 28, 2015

Category: Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Misinformation is a dangerous thing.  I’m sure it happens in every field, but due to the fact that there are no set standards for qualifications of trial consultants, misinformation abounds.  Trial consultant qualifications are a topic for another post, but in this post I want to relate some of the non common sense parts of […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 28, 2015

Category: Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Knowing what one doesn’t know is, in my opinion, just as important as knowing anything else. For example, I have no hesitation in obtaining the professional opinion, as well as following the advice of my dentist, who spent many long years in dental school during the time I was studying for my Ph.D. in social […]

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Loud is good, except when I want quiet

Loud, for me, is good. I have a shirt that says so! I am not afraid of loud music and other happy loud sounds, including cars, boats, and motorcycles. However, when I am working, particularly on something that requires concentration, I must work in absolute silence. I do not allow anyone who works for me […]

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Thankfully, Melissa’s and my offices are situated such that we have the ability to close the door to reduce distractions. But, noisy distractions can transcend doors, windows and walls. Leaf blowers and weed eaters are big offenders. Maintaining focus on technical, detailed work requires concentration beyond what school requires and as such, we have had […]

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Isn’t this stuff just common sense? Part 1 – Small Business

It occurs to me that some of the topics we are writing about may seem like common sense.  But, I can assure you, as someone with an MBA and undergrad degrees in business (marketing and management) that running a small business is, first of all, not taught (or taught well) in school and second, until […]

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Most people I know have never, ever owned and operated a business. Having worked for other people for 20 years prior to co-owning Magnus Research Consultants, I am well aware of the numerous and vast differences between working for someone else, collecting a paycheck regardless of the company’s (or government agency’s) financial performance, and working […]

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Do what the man, or woman, client, says…

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 14, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

When one hires someone to do a job for them, the hiring person, i.e., the client, expects the other person/entity (henceforth, vendor) to perform the job in the manner, or to the satisfaction of, the client.  When the vendor fails to follow instructions or the directives of the client, there is a problem, for both […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 14, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

Sometimes, I am the client and other times, I am the vendor. (Although I am a consultant, with expertise in an area my clients lack, by virtue of the fact I am selling my services to someone, I am, technically speaking, a vendor.) When I am the client, I expect to be treated like a […]

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