Surviving the Workday

Our brains seem to fixate on the number three, and three is just enough times for something to be mentioned in a work of fiction for the reader to take note.

In management, the rule of three can also be a general guideline for when to address a management issue. If something happens once, it’s potentially an accident. If something happens twice, it’s a potential pattern. And if something happens a third time, it’s a recurrent issue, and time to have a chat. And it doesn’t just apply to managers and traditional workplaces. You can also use this rule as a consultant:

If someone makes a joke about my consulting rates — maybe they say something like, “well, with rates like those, it’s a good thing you add value (chuckle, chuckle).” I might laugh along with them but I notice my discomfort. The second time I smile but don’t laugh. The third time I say “This is the third time you’ve joked about my rates — I know it’s a joke but I also wonder if you feel like they exceed my value. If so, I’d like to talk about it with you.”