Here is an article from a couple of years ago highlighting that there is an often a missing ingredient to success in business, that was probably taught to you by your parents. The ingredient is being nice.
The question is, how do we do that in today’s complicated world? Should we just follow the Golden Rule like my mom taught me? “Do unto others as one wants done unto them”. Seems simple and seems nice. However, it lacks one key ingredient to being nice: and that’s empathy. How you want to be treated is very different than how your co-workers or teammates want to be treated, which is different than what your current and future clients, stakeholders or partners want to be treated. When being nice includes being empathetic, you will no longer be living by the Golden Rule, you will be living by the Platinum Rule. “Do unto others as they would want to be done to them.”
The challenge with the Platinum Rule is knowing how someone wants to be treated. Thankfully, there is an easy solution when you don’t know…ASK!
When we add empathy to being nice, we will build deeper, stronger relationships and win more.
P.S. Mom, sorry for retiring the Golden Rule…however, I think you have always lived by the Platinum Rule, it just needed new branding!