The Law of Thirds

Linda LaitalaBusiness, Leadership, ManagementLeave a Comment

In every organization there are:

  1. The Naysayers who aren’t for you.  They may not speak out, but you have a gut feeling they don’t have your back.  These people don’t want the best for you; they might be passive or aggressive in their resistance. 
  2. The Undecideds who are neither for you nor against you.  They’re on the fence.  You know with enough passion they could go either way.
  3. The Supporters who support and encourage you when times are tough; the ones who have your back.

In most organizations, the size of these groups is roughly similar.  Unfortunately, we often make the mistake of catering to the naysayers.  We script our communication trying not to upset them too much and hoping to win them over.

Instead, we should be scripting to our supporters.  They’re the ones who embody the vision of the company, who support new ideas, bringing positive energy and passion to our world.

It’s ironic but true when we craft our message to the naysayers, we actually pull the undecideds in that direction.  When we focus on the supporters, we minimize the negative noise and pull the undecideds toward the supporters.

Concentrate your communications toward the supporters and see the difference it makes in your organization.

Learn about the  Law of Thirds in this video with Patrick Lencioni’s one minute overview.

The road is easier together,

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