5 Ways To Become A Kickass Communicator

I grew up in a pretty blunt household — we said what was on our minds and no topic was off-limits. This level of candor meant no silent treatments, no hiding behind slammed doors, and no letting things stew. While honesty has certainly helped me in personal relationships as well at the office, there are times when my dose of truth serum can be a little too potent. Why does talking (something most of us have been doing since infancy) become so difficult sometimes?

"Communication is, above all, a skill — and very few people know how to communicate effectively, naturally. It takes thoughtfulness and a lot of practice," says Carl Alasko, PhD, a California-based psychotherapist and author of Say This Not That: A Foolproof Guide to Effective Intrapersonal Communication.

This basically means you need to strategize and practice if you're going to successfully confront your roommate about her less-than-stellar cleanliness skills (or tell a coworker he isn't pulling his weight on a project). No worries if your eloquence isn't quite Brian Williams-level; we've tapped top communication experts for their tricks. Get ready to master the art of conversation.