Communication Technique: The Rule of Three

Introduction

• Presenter: Heinrich, former McKinsey consultant
• Channel: Firm Learning
• Focus: Become successful in the first years of your career
• Technique Use: Oral and written communication, internal team and client communication, job interviews
• Industry Insight: Extensively used in consulting but not in other industries

Scenario Illustration

• Context: Market entry opportunities for a new product line
• Project Team Activity:
  • Interviews with internal and external experts
  • Data analysis from finance and marketing departments
  • Result: France is likely a good market fit
• Reasons for France as a Market Fit:
  • Favorable consumer research
  • Lack of strong competitors
  • Strong distribution and warehousing capabilities

Communication Challenge

• Situation: CEO asks for a summary of preliminary results
• Sample Answer 1: Unstructured response
  • Feels random, lacks organization
• Sample Answer 2: Structured response using the Rule of Three
  • Clear structure, correlates with top-down communication principles
  • Three reasons provided for France being a good fit

Rule of Three Technique

• Explanation: Using Rule of Three
  • Start with a clear statement of your hypothesis
  • Provide three distinct points or reasons
  • Use "First, Second, Third" to clearly delineate points
• Benefits:
  • Perceived as more structured and well-organized
  • Provides confidence to the recipient
  • Commonly used in consulting, almost to the point of a meme

Practical Tips

• Common Use:
  • Start responses with "let me mention three points..."
  • Even if not prepared, rely on this structure during responses
• Finding the Third Point:
  • Option 1: Talk about next steps or future actions
  • Option 2: Discuss risks, downsides, or doubts
• Practice: You’ll almost always be able to identify a third point with practice

Conclusion

• Usage: Widely used by consultants of all levels
• Encouragement: Try using it in your own communication routines
• Feedback: Share experiences and thoughts on the Rule of Three in the comments

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Thanks and Closing

• Presenter Sign-off: Jaime from Firm Learning