One… two… three! (go) There are many “rule of three” type guides out there, and for good reason. Three is simple, uncluttered, easy to manage, and easy to remember. Three is a handful, a few, and something that can be accomplished in “a bit.” Following the rule of three in our conference calls and web conferences will improve our success in reaching our participants.
You know who pretty much always follows the rule of three in their presentations? Steve Jobs, the leader and visionary of Apple. His presentations are dynamic, fun, informative, and to be honest, they change the world. Check out this slideshow about Steve Jobs by Carmine Gallo for more details on Steve’s presentations.
The point of a presentation is not to have a presentation, or have thoughts or ideas presented. No, the point is to have those thoughts and ideas go into our participants’ heads and conscious minds. If we get too enthusiastic, try to saturate them, the end result is they retain little to nothing. Our efforts are wasted.
Instead, a zen approach—minimalistic attitude and design—is far more effective; hence the rule of three. We should divide our presentations, meetings, and lectures into three sections. If applicable, we should only have three main points per section. If we have a product with tons of features, it would be better to follow Steve Job’s lead and talk about only the top three--as he did in his MacBook Air and iPhone unveiling presentations.
Yes, I realize that the focus of many presentations is not simple enough to be fully covered in three points, but which is the better alternative? That we cover everything and they retain little to nothing, or simplify for greater impact, and they retain the top three main points?
