Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash
Every leader has their own playbook. But the most powerful rules we live and lead by often aren’t in a textbook — they’re in how we treat people. Progress happens when we pause, reflect, and upgrade the rules we live by.
Below are 7 timeless “rules” — including the Golden and Platinum Rules — that you can use to help lead more consciously, communicate more effectively, and unlock what’s next in your business and life.
1. The Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated.
- In business: Use empathy to set the tone. How would you want feedback delivered?
- In life: This rule creates mutual respect and clarity in your relationships.
- My take: It’s a great foundation — but it's not always enough.
2. The Platinum Rule: Treat others the way they want to be treated.
- In business: Adapt to your client’s or team member’s communication style.
- In life: Listen first. Your way isn’t the only way.
- My take: This is where leaders go from good to exceptional. It builds trust faster than anything else.
3. The Iron Rule: Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want done to you.
- In business: Respect boundaries. Don’t micromanage if you wouldn’t want to be micromanaged.
- In life: A great rule when emotions run high — it keeps you from saying or doing something you’ll regret.
- My take: Sometimes what you don’t do is the real leadership.
4. The Bronze Rule: Treat others the way they treat you.
- In business: This can be risky — mirror energy with care. Use it to identify healthy vs toxic dynamics.
- In life: It’s a feedback loop. Helpful with peers, not so much for leading others.
- My take: Don’t let this rule turn into a grudge match. Use it to gauge relationships, not guide them.
5. The Titanium Rule: Do what’s right, even if it’s not how others want to be treated.
- In business: Leadership isn’t always popular. Holding someone accountable may be what they need most.
- In life: This rule is about integrity over comfort.
- My take: Real coaching often lives here. People want growth, not just agreement.
6. The Glass Rule: Help others see themselves clearly, without judgment.
- In business: Use questions to reflect blind spots. This is core to how I coach.
- In life: Practice listening without fixing. Clarity is a gift.
- My take: It’s not about giving advice. It’s about creating insight
7. The Wooden Rule: Don’t treat people how you think they deserve to be treated.
- In business: Drop the ego. Don’t lead from a place of superiority or reactivity.
- In life: Give grace. Everyone’s fighting battles you can’t see.
- My take: This one humbles us. It stops the spiral and creates space to lead with curiosity, not judgment
The most successful people I coach aren’t stuck because they lack skill — they’re stuck because they’ve outgrown the old rules they’ve been living by. Once they shift how they see and treat others, everything changes. Business starts to grow again. Teams get into alignment. Life gets lighter. When you think bigger, you get unstuck — and that’s when momentum kicks back in.
THINK BIG
Jon
