Leadership and… The Blarney Stone

I must disclose that I am part Irish, and proud of it! I thought that it would be fitting on this St. Patrick’s Day to explore the link between Leadership and the Blarney Stone. According to Wikipedia,

“Blarney town is a major tourist attraction in County Cork. Mostly people come to see the castle, kiss the stone, and to shop at the Blarney Woolen Mills center… By kissing the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle, it is claimed that one can receive the “Gift of the Gab” (eloquence, or skill at flattery or persuasion).

The kiss, however, is not casually achieved. To touch the stone with one’s lips, the participant must ascend to the castle’s peak, then lean over backwards on the parapet’s edge. This is traditionally achieved with the help of an assistant.”

Sounds trecharous, and exciting, doesn’t it? According to this story that includes a photo, 69% of the readers (I was one of the 69%) have not yet kissed the Blarney Stone: http://www.squidoo.com/blarneystone.

As leaders, it is easy for us to get caught up in the gift of gab, the style of communication, the eloquence of our speech, and miss the point about effective leader communication. What’s really important is that we communicate openly, share the reasons behind things that we do, and treat people with care and concern. With all due respect to the Blarney Stone, all of these things are more important than a quick wit or silver tongue, or the method of communication that we may choose.

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