About five years ago, Jeffrey Phillips wrote an article titled “Smaller the Better”. In it he advocates for making teams and organizations as small as possible. He argues that it is easier to keep teams focused and cohesive when they are small. Larger teams can actually produce lower levels of commitment along with a lowering of standards on the part of managers. Given the power of 3, I believe he was on to something.

As leaders, consider forming teams of 3 whenever possible. Teams of 3 are more accountable to each other because each individual is more conspicuous, making it more difficult to hide. Teams of 3 are more flexible and agile. They can communicate more quickly and more effectively with each other. They have lower barriers to finding space and time to connect to help determine what’s working and not working more quickly. Consequently, the team of 3 is in a good position to make the adjustments necessary to support the team’s goals.

Interdependence is accentuated in small teams of 3. This creates an environment of urgency with more shared responsibility, including the responsibility for leading. Daniel Pink author of, “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us“, talks about the growing need employees have for autonomy, mastery, and purpose rather than extrinsic rewards. Pink makes a strong case that the importance of those “three” concepts is quickly moving from a “nice to have” to a “must have” if we are to position our organizations for future success. The formation of teams of 3 promotes Pink’s current view of motivation. This is particularly relevant for the development and retention of Millenials within our workforces.

Teams of 3 are also easier for managers to support. More individual attention can be provided to those team members who need it. When the manager is out of the picture, the other members can also step up and help their teammate. And if an individual continues to fail on a particular team, it is easier to see that a change is needed and why.

Remember the metaphor of the three-legged stool. It represents balance. Just enough and not too much. This should be true for the size of our teams.