The Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the Blarney Castle in Ireland. It’s believed that kissing the stone can grant you the gift of gab. Yeah, it seems strange in this day and age, but who are we to question tradition?

There is so much more to know about conversation that you probably realize. You can watch or listen to talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated to public speaking and ordinary conversations – certain rules apply in all circumstances when it comes to verbal interaction.

1. What Do You Know?
Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker you have to practice what you’ve learned. Watching a friend, who’s a Toastmaster, taught me that we all have our limitations, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn to keep up and share what we know.

2. Do You Listen To Yourself?
Listening is just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be more confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.

3. Are You Afraid Of Dropping A Clanger?
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter or mispronounce certain words even though we know their meanings, but rarely use it only to impress listeners.

In a group, don’t be afraid to ask if you’re saying the right word properly and if others are unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it’ll make everyone laugh and you’ll get away with it.

4. Maintain Eye Contact
There’s a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It’s important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group or to an individual.

5. Kidding around
Humor can do wonders to lift tension or boredom when communicating. You’ll get the attention the majority of the time and whoever you’re talking to will feel you’re approachable and human!

6. Don’t Be Afraid To Join In
Interact, mix and mingle with other people. You’ll get a lot of ideas, at the same time as learning what makes people tick.

7. Me, Myself, and I
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice a speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch.

8. Say It With A Smile
A smile says so much, like eye contact. There’s no point grimacing or frowning in a gathering. You can better express what you’re saying when you smile.

9. Are You A Role Model?
There must be at least one or two people in your life you have really listened to and taken away golden nuggets of information. Take a mental note of how they emphasize what they’re saying and react to your feedback.

10. Preparation?
Of course we can’t prepare everything we’re going to say in a day! But we can prepare ourselves for how we deliver advice, or how we react to others. Being comfortable and confident in what we say will, in turn, inspire confidence in others.

It may sound tedious, but even though it’s your mouth that’s doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out what you know. Essentially, when learning to be an effective communicator, you need to know the very person closest to you: yourself.