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July 26, 2006
Remember the rule of three
If you’re like me, you spend a lot of your time trying to simplify complex issues: turning a 45-slide PowerPoint on the corporate strategy into a few brief messages, summing up 37 changes to next year’s benefits into some bullet points, eradicating jargon and eliminating corporate speak.
It’s sometimes an uphill battle, but it’s always important work. Today more than ever, people just don’t have time for complexity—they need to get the point simply and quickly.
That’s why you should always remember the rule of three. Maybe you learned about the rule in math or writing class (or in comedy clubs)? If not, a recent issue of Search Insider eloquently sums up the power of the rule of three. As columnist Gord Hotchkiss writes, “We humans tend to think in triplets. Three is a good number to wrap our mind around, and we see it in all kinds of instances. We tend to remember points best when given in groups of three, we scan visual elements best when they come in threes, and we like to have three options to consider. Think how often three comes up in our society: three little pigs, three strikes, three doors on ‘Let's Make a Deal,’ three competitive quotes. It's a triordered world out there.”
What does this mean? Seven strategies is (four) too many to remember. Nine key messages won’t be retained. If you can’t recite your (three-point) key message in one breath, it’s probably too long.
The rule of three can help you create better communication, and it can also help you manage your stakeholders who want to convey every detail about their stuff. (Who can argue with a “rule”?)
And, once you get attuned to the rule of three, you find that it’s being used everywhere:
In speeches and plays
“Friends, Romans, Countrymen” - William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
“Blood, sweat and tears” - General George Patton
In slogans and titles
“Stop, look and listen”
“Sex, lies and videotape”
And even in comedy
As John Kinde writes on his website, humorpower.com, the rule of three is particularly useful in comedy writing because “a funny line . . . is like a train wreck. You know where the train has been, you think you know where it’s going, but then you’re surprised when it goes off track.” So the rule of three sets up the joke and makes it memorable. Like the tee-shirt that reads, “World Class Cities: Paris. Rome. Fargo” The third thing is the kicker that creates the joke.
So, to sum up, here are three things to remember about the rule of three: It creates simplicity, aids recall and makes your job easier. What could be better?
Posted by Alison Davis at July 26, 2006 03:33 PM
Comments
Very nice points - thanks! I guess blogtipping fits pretty well with the rule of three ... traditionally, you mention three blogs and give each one three compliments and a tip.
Posted by: Easton Ellsworth at September 5, 2006 07:11 PM