Archive | Managing Employees

Categories of Missed Opportunity

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On June 27, 2023

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Business Travel, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Jury Research, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Psychology, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consultants

Some people have experienced significant loss, hardship, and a decline in physical and mental health during their lives. (I often think about Nelson Mandela’s 27 years of imprisonment as an example of this type of personal suffering.) Other people have had some serious setbacks, such as a bankruptcy, death of a parent, or a chronic […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On June 27, 2023

Melissa wrote her part of this post some time ago, during the 2020 pandemic, and I’m playing catch up. In a way, it is interesting to see how things have worked out over time, due to changes triggered by a pandemic. Many things have changed permanently. Work place changes are a big and obvious change. […]

Don’t Make the Boss’ Job More Difficult

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 16, 2023

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

In the 50 years since I started my first job, I have been an employee for 20 years and an employer for 30 years. In my roles as employee, then employer, I have often marveled at some people’s absence of awareness of a fundamental workplace principle: Don’t make the boss’ job more difficult. There are […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 16, 2023

I knew Rosemary, Melissa’s assistant at the hospital where they worked. Rosemary was the epitome of professionalism and did her job in an excellent fashion which is why it was not long that she went from working for Melissa to working for Melissa’s boss. In the 30+ years of Magnus we have, fortunately, had team […]

If in Doubt, Ask.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On May 4, 2023

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

It is okay to ask questions in life, in work. In the work environment, as an owner, manager, supervisor, or whatever I may be, whatever hat I may be wearing, I want to hear questions. I dislike it when an employee does not ask a question, for whatever reason, then does something wrong, or does […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On May 4, 2023

Here’s a question for David: Why was your part of this post so short? But, to get to the point, I agree with David about asking questions, up to a point. We recently terminated an employee who spent more time asking us stupid questions than using her brain. This employee seemed, to me, to ask […]

When Not to Wear Shorts

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 25, 2023

Category: Business Frustrations, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Jury Consultants, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

I live in Florida. I have lived in Florida almost all my life, with the exception of living out of state for a couple of years for employment reasons. I know it’s hot in my home state of Florida. I live here and if you’re hot when we are together, I am probably hot too. […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 25, 2023

In my mind, there are many “costumes” which are appropriate in different situations. As a photographer, I dressed to blend into the environment where I would be shooting. If it was a business event, I would wear a shirt/tie or sometimes, a tuxedo, to seem to be a part of the event. Casual events, like […]

Someone else will do it – but I’m the someone else

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 11, 2023

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

“I’ll get around to it.” “ I was going to do that.” “Oh, you beat me to it.” I hear these comments on a frequent basis. Most people move more slowly than me, including some who go through life at a snail’s pace. When I start cleaning up their mess, picking their trash off the […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 11, 2023

It becomes a personal challenge of mine to stay ahead of Melissa, where I can. And, there are many times when she wants something done that I’ve already accomplished. Further, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cleaned up something that she never saw on the floor and our counters, at home or the […]

I Don’t Write Paychecks

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 4, 2023

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

David and I have owned and operated Magnus for 30 years. We have employed countless people, including many whose names have faded into obscurity. During all the years we have been in business, David and I have had different job duties. David’s job includes the administrative, finance, human resources, vendor relationship, and client liaison roles, […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 4, 2023

Terminating employees is one of the least pleasant tasks I have. Even when an employee has done something blatantly wrong and is deserving of immediate termination, knowing the ramifications for the employee it is difficult, to do so. I hope most people who have the power of termination feel that way. Yet, we’ve had some […]

Show, Don’t Tell

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 26, 2023

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

Melissa and I wrote employee policy manuals and other training materials before we had employees. I am thinking about those today because I added a small update to the policy manual yesterday, thinking that it had been a long time since I had added anything. But, while the policy manual is pretty well set, the […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 26, 2023

David never ceases to amaze me. I cannot believe he missed a perfectly good opportunity to relate his post to a song by his favorite band, RUSH. The title of the song is “Show Don’t Tell,” which is the title David used for this post. The premise of the song, written (of course) by Geddy […]

The World is Round, I’ll Get There

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 17, 2022

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Managing Employees, Psychology

For inexplicable reasons, I randomly remember various tag lines from television commercials and other types of advertising. Many times I can’t recall the product or service being advertised, but I remember the tag line or catch phrase. One of those I recall is “The world is round, I’ll get there.” The commercial involved a hippie […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 17, 2022

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Managing Employees, Psychology

I’ve heard David use the expression, “The world is round, I’ll get there” on many occasions, but I never knew, until reading his part of this post, its origin. Before commenting on this quote, I will point out the amazing impact the TV commercials that aired in childhood had on us. I can still recall […]

Grace Under Pressure

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 15, 2022

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

What does it mean to have grace under pressure? Grace under pressure can mean several things to people, but to me, it means having a calm demeanor and an overall presence of mind in a stressful or highly demanding situation. My job as a trial/jury consultant is stressful. I often remark to people who are […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 15, 2022

“Grace Under Pressure” is the title of the 10th album, a 1984 release, by RUSH. The readers of these posts know that RUSH is my favorite band. Though there is no song on the album entitled “grace under pressure,” the album had many references to being under pressure, especially in terms of the Cold War […]

Things Hard for You Are Easy for Me

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 25, 2022

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Everyone is different from everyone else. Some people find it easy to do certain things, while other people have to work hard to accomplish a particular task, and others can’t do it at all. It just depends. I perform high level work, in a challenging occupation, that most people cannot do, while some people who […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 25, 2022

I remember my mother quoting an elderly neighbor, who became a good friend of hers, saying “Mrs. Beach says, isn’t it good we are not all alike, life would be so boring.” Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and it is the combination of peoples’ strengths that move society forward, if not as a whole, in […]

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Archive | Managing Employees

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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