how to talk so your partner will listen.

Expressing yourself well goes a long way toward getting what you want. 
 
There are two important facets of self-expression…what you want to say and how you are saying it.  These are otherwise referred to as, content (what) and process (how).  Most of us make this distinction intuitively.  We react viscerally when someone says something with “attitude.”  In this case, their process gets in the way of communicating their content.
 
Knowing what you want to say is a great starting point.  There are five basic places to start when you are addressing a topic.
 

• What are you thinking about the topic?
  
• How are you feeling (emotions) about the topic?
  
• What are you doing (actions) about the topic?
• What are you intending relative to the topic?
• What are you sensing about the topic?

 
Beyond these starting places, it’s important to avoid superlatives (e.g., always, never, best, worst, etc.) and certainty.  Superlatives and certainty tend to enflame.  When things are stated in extremes they tend to create defensiveness in the listener and therefore diminish the likelihood that your points will be received well.
 
Speaking tentatively invites the listener to join you.  Say things like:
 
“It seems to me that…”  

"I'm not certain but what I think you're saying is..."
 
In addition, it’s important to be as clear as possible about the emotions behind your expression.  Your emotions determine the intensity and the quality of your expression.  Take, for example, the following request:
 
“Please call if you are going to be late coming come.”
 
If this is said with patience and compassion it will likely be pretty easy to accept.  If, however, it’s said with anger and disdain, it will likely feel harsh or critical and therefore difficult to accept. 
 
Finally, have some empathy for your listener.  Check to see if they are ready to listen.  Do they have the time and energy to listen?  Is what you have to say likely to be what they want to hear?  If not, make sure you are grounded enough to say things respectfully.
 
To summarize, be clearly aware of what you want to say by identifying your thoughts, emotions, action, intentions and senses.  Then, get grounded.  Make sure what you are saying isn’t coming out with an intensity that would make it hard to listen to. Finally, have some empathy for your listener and his/her situation.