The Three S's Rule
Make important points shorter, slower, and stronger
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 3
- Confidence
- 98%
The Three S's Rule turns an important point into a more authoritative delivery by making it shorter, slower, and stronger. First, compress the idea into direct language with short sentences, concrete nouns, and no unnecessary jargon or filter words. Second, slow down at the moment that matters: Codie recommends reducing speed by about 20 percent, adding micro-pauses, and breathing before the key line. Third, land the statement confidently rather than rushing through it as if expecting rejection. The mechanism is perceptual as well as practical: simpler language lowers cognitive load, while deliberate pacing gives the listener time to absorb the point and makes the speaker sound more certain. The result is a message that is easier to understand, remember, and trust.
Origin
Codie Sanchez introduces the Three S's while explaining why rushing an important sentence can make even a knowledgeable speaker sound uncertain.
Core principles
- 01Shorter language reduces cognitive load
- 02Slower delivery signals confidence
- 03Strong statements land without defensive padding
- 04Silence gives the listener room to process
How to run it
- 1
Make it shorter
Reduce the key idea to one or two direct sentences. Use concrete nouns, remove jargon and filter words, and leave out explanations the listener has not requested.
Pro tip Write the key point as a single headline before speaking.
Watch out Do not remove evidence that the decision genuinely depends on.
- 2
Make it slower
When you reach the most important sentence, slow down by about 20 percent. Breathe before it and use micro-pauses so the words have room to land.
Pro tip Let silence do some of the explanatory work.
Watch out Do not adopt an artificially profound pace that is wrong for the conversation.
- 3
Make it stronger
State the conclusion directly and support it with the relevant data. Stop after the point instead of weakening it with qualifiers or a nervous restatement.
Pro tip Use a precise probability or concrete fact when uncertainty matters.
Watch out Strength is not false certainty; preserve material nuance.
In the wild
Instead of racing through a long explanation about strategy and diminishing returns, the speaker pauses and says, 'I think we should pivot. The data is showing diminishing returns.' The shorter sentences and deliberate pause make the recommendation easier to process.
→ The core recommendation sounds clear and considered rather than defensive.
A complicated description of vertically integrated infrastructure becomes the concrete line, 'We buy boring businesses that make money.' The simpler version carries the same business idea without forcing the audience to decode it.
→ The audience can understand and remember the proposition immediately.
Common mistakes
Rushing the key sentence
Speeding up at the moment that matters can signal that you expect the listener to reject the point.
Mistaking jargon for intelligence
Complex wording increases cognitive load and can make a simple idea feel heavy.
Turning slowness into theatre
An exaggerated pace can sound performative when the situation calls for a normal conversational rhythm.
Is it for you?
Best for
Leaders, founders, and professionals delivering high-stakes points in meetings, pitches, or presentations.
Not ideal for
It is not a substitute for evidence, sound reasoning, or the extra detail required in technical documentation.
From the episode
Stop Over-Explaining: The 3 S’s Rule For Projecting Authority