"Lead the audience by the nose to the thought"

This quote by Laurence Olivier is a suggestion to stars and public speakers to be mindful of their audience when delivering a performance or speech. Olivier is recommending that the speaker ought to be in control of the audience's attention and guide them through the performance or speech. He is suggesting that the speaker should be the leader and the audience need to be the fans. The speaker should be able to direct the audience's attention to the thought or concept that they are attempting to communicate. This quote is a suggestion to speakers to be mindful of their audience and to be in control of the conversation. It is necessary to be knowledgeable about the audience's attention and to be able to direct it to the thought or idea that the speaker is trying to convey. By leading the audience by the nose to the thought, the speaker can ensure that the audience is engaged which the message is being communicated efficiently.