Why You Should Think in Threes

There has been scientific research done into how our brains retain information. The advertising industry learned long ago that repeating a jingle or catch-phrase three times increases retention 89%. The music industry has also applied this science to producing hit songs, with the “formula” typically repeating the chorus three times during the track of the song. How many of you can complete this chorus – “Jenny, Jenny, who can I turn to … 867-53_ _ (fill in the blank)?”

In my own work, I strive to tap into this research and often turn to what I call The Power of Threes. Business is about translating vision and strategy into execution. Something as simple as organizing your ideas in threes can be the key to focusing you and your organization on the most important priorities.

Here are some ways we apply the Power of Threes at Intuit: 

• Focus on the Critical Few: Six Sigma training illuminated that six or fewer variables are often causal to an outcome, with all others being correlated. This insight helped narrow many leaders’ “top 10 objectives” to a half dozen at the turn of the century. My experience has found that another leap forward in execution happens when you recognize that teams are powered by human beings, and our brains are naturally attuned to “threes.” Therefore, by narrowing to the “top three things” to focus on, we find that we achieve much greater velocity and improved outcomes.
• Tell Your Story in Threes: In communication, the cliché of “tell them what you’re going to tell them … tell them … and then tell them what you told them” once again highlights the Power of Threes. Great drama is structured around three acts, and the same is true for communicating with teams. Think of an effective advertisement – someone struggles with a problem, a solution is introduced, and the benefits are clear. More simply stated – headache, aspirin, relief. Organizing your communications into three clear sections or messages helps an audience remember what you said and what you want them to do.
• Stick with your Story: Once you have your three, stick to them. As I learned from my parents, repetition doesn’t ruin the prayer. No matter how much you might want to expand and expound, straying away from your critical three only creates confusion. As A.G. Lafley, the former CEO of Procter & Gamble, once shared with me, “keep it Sesame Street simple” and know that while you may have repeated it a thousand times, someone in the audience is hearing it for the first time. You want to make sure your team not only understands the game plan and objectives, but can easily remember and repeat it to others.

The Power of Threes is no magic bullet. The implementation of any successful strategy is a multi-faceted effort. Yet for leaders looking to focus their organizations and communicate what is most important, never underestimate the Power of Threes!