Archive | Magnus Insights

Why I Love Siamese Cats

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 27, 2022

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Travel, Work-Life

I love cats. I really do. Dogs are great too, but I love cats. I have been fond of cats my entire life. My first cat was a domestic short hair ginger cat named Dinker. The cat who was the love of my life was, of course, Ziggy, who spent 19 years with me during […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 27, 2022

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Travel, Work-Life

I became a cat person sometime after I met Melissa. I had no choice. Ziggy was there first and he was a force with which to be reckoned. The bobcat in him was close to the surface and though he didn’t have front claws, he attacked at will and had sharp teeth. But, he knew […]

Holiday Plans

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 22, 2022

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Deliberations, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Mental Health, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Work-Life

I’m writing this near year end, but as is often the case, things are hectic as we wrap up the work for the year, and prepare for work early in the new year. Melissa and I have diligently tried for all these years to treat the last 2 weeks of the year as a break, […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 22, 2022

David and I often work on holidays and during vacations. Our business, and the world of litigation, don’t close just because we are not in the office. I have distinct memories of: (1) doing an intake on a new case on Christmas Eve, in my mom’s Florida room, mere minutes before we opened our gifts: […]

Constant Giving Psychology Away

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 20, 2022

Category: 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, Marketing your Business, Mental Health, Psychology, Small Business Success

I am honored to have been a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) since the early 1980s, when I was in graduate school. The APA is the largest professional organization for psychologists in the world, with over 133,000 members. On the day I am writing this post, I have renewed my APA membership for […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 20, 2022

I have supported Melissa in her giving away psychology efforts for over 35 years. Admittedly, some of the efforts she enumerated hopefully help with business development. But, I agree that when someone has a special skill, talent, or knowledge, there are times when sharing that expertise is somehow warranted by our societal values. I suspect […]

Some Cases Last Longer than Imaginable

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 15, 2022

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

A challenging aspect of our trial consulting work is timing. It is always an issue for us to ramp up when we are engaged for a project. There is lead time in all that we do. Some clients, particularly repeat clients, understand this and call us well in advance of their “need.” Other times it […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 15, 2022

I sincerely hope 10 years will be the longest time between case intake and conducting mock trials! At this point in my life and career, I’m not certain I will be around 10 years from now! The case to which David refers is Magnus’ infamous case #110. As a point of reference, when we finally […]

Altruism & Helping Behaviors

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 13, 2022

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Psychology

Helping is one component of altruism. Other components are an orientation toward other people, instead of to oneself, and a generally prosocial outlook (as opposed to an antisocial outlook). Most theories of altruism include the component of enhancing other people’s welfare at some cost to oneself (in terms of time, money, etc.). Altruistic people are […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 13, 2022

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Giving Back, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Mental Health, Psychology

I was, for a couple of years, a Boy Scout, as well as a Cub Scout prior to the Boy Scouts membership. Though I didn’t stick with Boy Scouts too long because music, band – baritone horn, took over my free time. But, I was a scout long enough to learn about helping others. The […]

This Nickel

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 8, 2022

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights

Last night I heard a blues song in which the songwriter wrote lines like “what if this wall could talk,” “what if this door knob could tell who turned it,” and “what if these shoes could talk.” All of the lines led me to wonder who/what saw something, illicit, of course. In the vein of […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 8, 2022

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights

David and I have been writing our blog for over 9 years and I am fearful that his selection of this topic is akin to Fonzie “jumping the shark.” Let’s hope not! I don’t have much to say about the 1947 nickel David found in the coin tray, but I do find it strange that […]

Social Psych = Groups = Juries

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 6, 2022

Category: Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Psychology, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Over the years, many people have asked me what makes me qualified to work as a jury/trial consultant. I explain that I have a Ph.D. in social psychology, which is the scientific study of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by other people and situations. Social thinking, social influence, and social behavior are […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 6, 2022

I have certainly learned a lot about social psychology, by osmosis and directly from Melissa, as well as in a graduate course, taken before I had any intent of working in the trial consulting world, that helped me more than I knew it would. It is interesting to explain the principles of psychological science to […]

Herding Cats

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 1, 2022

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants

I am sure most people have heard the expression that something is like “herding cats.” I am sure herding felines would be nearly impossible based on my experience with having 1 in the house. Herding any of our cats, even 1 at a time, is quite a challenge. Even though our Siamese cats know their […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 1, 2022

My job involves herding lots of cats, metaphorically speaking. Not only do I “herd” attorneys, including timing their presentations during mock trials, getting a trial team to work together on trial strategies, and convincing multiple clients to listen to me and follow my advice during jury selection, I herd numerous other cats during my working […]

Our “U.N.” of shopkeepers

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 29, 2022

Category: Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Travel, Work-Life

A cousin of mine recently asked me if I missed living in our hometown, Fort Myers, Florida. I answered that, although Fort Myers will always be my hometown, it has not been my home since I left for college in 1976. She seemed surprised, then she said, “Well, you lived in the same house for […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 29, 2022

Category: Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Travel, Work-Life

Variety is the spice of life. And, the melting pot of south Florida is full of spice. There are fewer native Floridians in Florida than ever with residents from all over the country and world. Who can blame them? The snow birds from Canada and New York are one thing, and many are seasonal. But, […]

Almost Like Cheating

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 24, 2022

Category: Jury Behavior, Jury Consultants, Jury Deliberations, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

I keep a list of things clients have said during or after working with us on mock jury research. These tidbits illustrate the eye opening reactions some attorneys have when observing jurors deliberate. One of my favorites was from (now retired) Pete Burkert in Fort Myers, FL. After a series of mock juries, he said, […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 24, 2022

Pete Burkert’s quote is memorable, even after many years have passed. Until his and his partner, Kim Hart’s, retirement, Magnus enjoyed decades of working with these 2 extremely fine attorneys. Mr. Hart had worked with us several times before we worked with his law partner, Mr. Burkert, and Kim called to tell me what Pete […]

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Archive | Magnus Insights

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