Speaking as a Performance

Doug Lawrence has been a singer, music director and speech coach - singing in places such as Carnegie Hall. He suggests singing and speaking have a lot in common. The main goal is to engage your audience and make them listen to you, so everything a singer does, a speaker ought to do too.

Not totally convinced on all points but this is what he says. Take the best - leave the rest.

1. Circulate with your audience.

2. Command attention.

3. Snarl.

4. Bite your tongue.

5. Always perform a sound check before you speak.

6. Use your eyes all the time.

7. Move away from center to make your point.

8. Get quiet.

9. “Underline” certain words with a pause or repetition.

10. Take a risk and be vulnerable.

11. Tee it higher.

12. Know when it’s time to go.

13. Use Q and A as an “encore.”

14. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.