We all know communication is key. Whether it’s at home or in the workplace, how we communicate with others is of the utmost importance. It can make or break a marriage or a career, yet too few of us actually take the time to evaluate the effectiveness of our conversation skills.

Broadcast journalist Celeste Headlee knows how to talk to people, having spent decades as a radio host. After interviewing hundreds of people, one thing became very clear to her: as a society, our conversation skills are sorely lacking.

“I came to realize that conversational competence might be the single most overlooked skill we fail to teach,” says Headlee, in her TED Talk. “Kids spend hours each day engaging with ideas and each other through screens, but rarely do they have an opportunity to hone their interpersonal communications skills. It might sound like a funny question, but we have to ask ourselves: Is there any 21st-century skill more important than being able to sustain coherent, confident conversation?”

Headlee says everyone can have more engaging and productive conversations with a little practice. To learn more, watch 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation.