Build your team with the platinum rule

My Wednesday Wish for You: Find the Right People for the Right Seats

You’ve probably heard of the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. But what if your way isn’t their way?

The Platinum Rule shifts the focus: Do unto others as they would want done unto them. That means we don’t lead or support based on our preferences—we lead based on theirs. It requires us to know our people, to understand what motivates them, how they prefer to communicate, how they feel valued, and where they thrive. That’s how we build trust—and results.

Now combine that with the 70:30 Rule: ideally, 70% of someone’s role should be work they are good at, energized by, and find fulfilling. The remaining 30% can be more challenging—maybe even draining—but it pushes growth and builds resilience.

When we know our people well enough to align them with roles that match their strengths and stretch their abilities, they grow. We grow. And so does the organization.

Here’s where it gets really fun: when the thing that lights up one team member is the very thing that drains another, synergy happens. That’s a team firing on all cylinders.

My wish for you this week is this: invest the time to know your people well enough to live the Platinum Rule. Help them get to their 70:30. And make sure they’re in the right seat—not just for your business, but for their growth. That’s where thriving begins.

Are you investing the time and resources to grow personally and professionally?