This is good stuff. I appreciate the links both in the article as well as the comments.
One thing I think is critical in communication is being choosy with who you spend time with.
Speaking from the other side of this coin...
I don't know if it's my tone of voice or my demeanor, but for some reason, I often get ignored in conversations between myself and two or more people. I get talked over constantly. But it happens a hell of a lot less when I'm spending time with the right people.