VM Recommends - Los Angeles Edition
This month’s VM Recommends brings us selections from Attorney Investigator, Devin Mikulka.
What are your current book and podcast recommendations?
I recently finished reading Supercommunicators, a book by Charles Duhigg, and have been recommending it to everyone I meet. The book is about how some people are gifted communicators— easy to talk to, able to connect with others, and the ones we turn to for advice. Duhigg suggests “supercommunicators” can recognize different types of conversation (practical, emotional, and social), and then subtly match their communication to the type of conversation occurring at that moment. Though we might think some people are “naturally gifted” communicators, Duhigg believes this is something we can all learn to become better communicators. A quote that stood out to me was the following: “The best listeners aren’t just listening. They’re triggering emotions by asking questions, expressing their own emotions, and doing things that prompt the other person to say something real.” I think being a “supercommunicator” could be helpful in the work of workplace investigations. In terms of podcasts, I have been trying to practice more Spanish so I like listening to Radio Ambulante, which is a Spanish-language podcast about Latin American and Latino culture. I miss a lot when the interviewees speak quickly, but I think it has improved my Spanish.
What is your favorite place to visit in Los Angeles?
I highly recommend visiting the Brewery Arts Complex during one of the two weekends they open artist studios to the public. The Brewery Arts Complex is an artist community on the site of an old Pabst Blue Ribbon brewery in east Los Angeles. In the spring and in the fall, the artists living and working at the Brewery open their studios to the public during an event called the Brewery Artwalk. You can see what the artists are working on, chat with them, and even buy pieces that are on sale. I enjoy seeing their studio space and finding inspiration for some of my own art projects.
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