One Rule to...er...Rule Them All

The Golden Rule:

'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'

This rule is for two kinds of people, who are often one and the same. One is a fool, and the other a well intentioned person who seeks to do right by the world. It is the greatest source of hypocrisy in our society. We teach this rule to children with little more thought than to try to avert childhood strife. We know that in childhood, we are closer to equal with our peers than at any other time in our lives. After childhood, we only embrace this rule in the most rudimentary way, and never in our efforts to advance our position.

Do you think that a leader or a successful man subscribes to this rule? Consider this, the next time that you have a request for your boss, and he tells you no, do you think he would appreciate being told in kind no to a request of his or hers? Of course not. The rich, the powerful and the successful all live by a different rule. This rule is the 'Platinum Rule':

'Expect of others that which you would never reasonably expect of yourself'

Be disgusted if you like, but if you are reading this, you are guilty of it without even knowing it. After all, in the place of your employment, you probably have cleaners or staff that scrub toilets. We ask them to complete these tasks because they are below our dignity or pay grade, or any other sorry excuse one can think of.

The first inclination of those who use this rule most successfully is to make the demand of another party. Individuals who wield this tool masterfully need do no more than this. As those less advanced in its use try, they may eventually run into resistance. The game is simple. Make the smallest of consessions as is possible, and give these begrudgingly. This is ideally bolstered with the implied argumentum ad baculum. After all, it should be clear who holds all the cards in this game. The purpose is to quickly get them back under your control so that they will do the things that you would never actually attempt to do yourself.

Do you have an idea that you would never visit upon yourself? Then use the rule with impunity and force those below you to complete this grueling task. After all, it isn't you that will be inconvenienced, and you will receive most all of the credit for the work completed as a competent manager with good instincts.

After a great deal of searching and trying to understand what sets apart the successful from those who are not, it has been boiled down to its essence: The Platinum Rule. The more one can utilize it, the more success will be achieved. The rule, to my knowledge, is universal. It is perhaps with regret that the key to our achievement engages the most reptilian of our instincts. But if you can decouple yourself from your childhood notions of fairness and equality, then you too can be set free and start down the path.