When the Golden Rule Isn’t Solid Gold… and What to Use Instead — V & CO Coaching (2024)

FAQs

When the Golden Rule Isn’t Solid Gold… and What to Use Instead — V & CO Coaching? ›

Enter The Platinum Rule

The Golden Rule fails in practice because we really can never tell instinctively or otherwise how someone wants to be treated, or why they do what they do; what their motivation for action happens to be. Attribution errors are the cause of most negative conflicts in life, miscommunication, and other missteps in life.

Examples of The Platinum Rule at Work

Feedback and Recognition: Offer praise publicly if someone appreciates public recognition. Alternatively, give private feedback to those who prefer a more discreet approach. Work Environment: Respect different work preferences, such as open office spaces versus private offices.

Executives tend to assume that their employees process and think as they do, that their behaviors are shared by and acceptable to everyone involved… when that isn't always the case.

The Golden Rule is the principle of treating others as one would want to be treated by them. It is sometimes called an ethics of reciprocity, meaning that you should reciprocate to others how you would like them to treat you (not necessarily how they actually treat you).

“Treat other the way you want to be treated” (This variation is know as the “Platinum Rule”). “Act as you would want all other people to act towards all other people.”

The golden rule is fatally flawed because it requires no empathy whatsoever. Sociopaths and psychopaths can easily follow it. You only need to think about how you want to be treated, and then do the same. You don't need to consider someone else's perspective at all.

At best the Golden Rule is a paradox: “We should all compromise so no one has to compromise.” As such it's perhaps a useful way to frame a moral dilemma but it's neither golden nor a rule.

You've heard of the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated. But when it comes to giving feedback, we need to follow the 'Silver Rule': Don't treat others the way you would not want them to treat you.

According to Kant, what is the main problem with the golden rule? It makes morality depend solely on the consequences of one's actions. It fails to give us any guidance whatsoever.

Is the Golden Rule outdated? ›

The Golden Rule has been a guidepost for generations, offering a basic understanding of empathy. Modern times might suggest that there's a new and improved way of thinking. While "treating others the way we want to be treated" is a good starting point, there's more to do.

And hot on its heels, another common criticism of the Golden Rule is that it does not say in what specific ways any given person should act, nor does it explain why some action is morally correct or incorrect.

The Biblical Golden Rule states: “Do unto others what you want done to yourself” The Negative Golden Rule states: “Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself”. This nugget of wisdom goes back thousands of years.

Follow the Platinum Rule

The Platinum Rule says that instead of treating people the way you want to be treated, you must understand what makes them tick and treat them the way they want to be treated.

For example, the pull inside us toward selfishness, jealousy, and revenge can sometimes overshadow our desire to act kindly. The very human urge to put ourselves first and protect our own interests makes it hard to follow the rule as often as we'd like.

The golden rule is restricted in its use as it can be used only when the literal rule leads to ambiguities in interpretation. Its use thus becomes limited and rare. It is unpredictable and lacks guidelines. One of the main disadvantages of the rule is that judges can twist the meaning of the words and change the law.