The Rule of Three

In the creative world, there’s a powerful concept called the “Rule of Thirds.” You’ve seen it when snapping a photo—your phone’s camera grid divides the frame into nine equal parts, subtly guiding you to compose a better image. But its magic extends far beyond photography.

The Rule of Thirds shapes how we tell stories, structure decisions, and even run organizations. It’s everywhere: in business, culture, and strategic facilitation.

Why? Science offers a clue: our brains crave patterns, and three is the smallest number needed to establish one. It’s enough to feel complete without being overwhelming. It’s tidy. It’s memorable. It sticks.

This principle is embedded in storytelling across cultures—from The Three Little Pigs to Goldilocks and the Three Bears, from mythology’s three Fates to folklore’s three wishes. The Rule of Three creates structure, rhythm, and memorability.

And it doesn’t stop at fairy tales.

Last month, I facilitated a leadership workshop where everything naturally fell into a three-part structure. Here’s what happened—and why it worked.

The Agenda (Or, The Three Acts of a Workshop)

The workshop unfolded in three distinct phases, each addressing a core part of the transition:

1. Vision – What do we aspire to achieve as a team?
   • This was the big-picture conversation: growth, aspirations, and defining success. It set the tone for what we wanted to create together.
2. Connection – Who are we as a team, and what are our strengths?
   • Here, we zoomed in from the grand vision to the human level, discussing individual and collective strengths to assess the conditions for the vision’s success. This phase laid the foundation of trust.
3. Action Plan – How will we make it happen?
   • Time to get tactical: obstacles, systems, logistics, and execution strategies.

Now, can you guess which phase was the most valuable? Hint: It wasn’t the one with PowerPoint slides.

That middle act—the bonding—was where real trust formed, making everything that followed infinitely smoother.

Branding & Marketing: The Three-Word Tagline

The most memorable brands often follow a three-word structure in their slogans. Think:

1. Nike: Just Do It
2. McDonald’s: I’m Lovin’ It
3. Adidas: Impossible Is Nothing

Three words strike the perfect balance—concise, rhythmic, and easy to remember. If a tagline is too short, it can feel vague; too long, it becomes harder to remember and loses impact.

How to use it: When crafting a company tagline, elevator pitch, or key messaging, aim for a three-word punchline.

The Three Hats of Leadership

Great leaders toggle between three essential roles:

1. The Visionary – Sets the direction and inspires the team.
2. The Operator – Ensures execution and efficiency.
3. The Coach – Develops people and fosters collaboration.

Neglect one, and leadership becomes lopsided. A CEO who is all vision but no execution will struggle, just as a leader who only focuses on operations may fail to inspire.

How to use it: Evaluate which “hat” you naturally wear and which one you need to develop to become a more well-rounded leader.

The Three-Part Team/Individual Effectiveness Framework: Appetite, Capacity, Skillset

Before tackling a challenge or when assessing the ability of a team or individual, ask three key questions:

1. Appetite – To what extent do I/they/we want to do this? (Motivation, passion, drive)
2. Capacity – To what extent do I/they/we have the resources? (Bandwidth, money, time)
3. Skillset – To what extent do I/they/we know how to do it? (Ability, skills, training)

How to use it: Ensure all three are in place. Miss one, and the effort, person, or team will almost certainly falter. This framework pinpoints where to focus before moving forward or fixing a stalled effort.

Team Performance: The Three Kinds of Work

To build a high-performing team, balance three types of work:

1. Strategic Work – Planning, goal-setting, and vision.
2. Operational Work – Execution, processes, and efficiency.
3. Relational Work – Collaboration, trust-building, and team culture.

Teams that focus too much on execution without strategy burn out. Teams that prioritize strategy without execution stagnate. And teams that neglect relationships struggle with collaboration, engagement, and retention.

How to use it: Evaluate your team—are you overly focused on one area at the expense of the others?

Why Three’s Matter

So why does the Rule of Three deserve your attention? Because in a world drowning in complexity, this principle cuts through the noise. It’s not just about aesthetics, storytelling, or decision-making—it’s about how we process information, build systems, and drive action.

Think about the last time you sat through a convoluted presentation, read an overcomplicated strategy document, or faced a never-ending list of priorities. We lose clarity, momentum, and engagement when things are scattered, disorganized, or excessive.

In business, clarity and momentum are everything. The Rule of Three provides both. Use it, and watch how your communication sharpens, your strategies strengthen, and your teams thrive.

Bringing It All Together

The Rule of Three isn’t just a principle; it’s a lens. It sharpens focus, clarifies strategy, and simplifies complexity. Whether you’re designing a workshop, leading a team, or making a big decision, it’s a reliable guide.

So, here’s my question for you: How can you use the Rule of Three to design better systems, meetings, or processes for your team?

Whether it’s workshops, storytelling, or strategy, three really is the magic number.