As a business coach who facilitates many different advisory boards with many different type of behavior styles I found using The Platinum Rule to be the most effective way of dealing with others. The Platinum Rule is defined as treating others the way they want to be treated.
The Platinum Rule is documented in an eBook for you readers and in a video for you visual learners.
The Platinum Rule for Small Business Mastery is based on The Platinum Rule® was created by Dr. Tony Alessandra and is based on “4 behavioral styles.”
For some of you, the “4 styles” model of human behavior is a new concept. However, many of you have probably run across this concept on more than one occasion. “Behavioral styles,” “personality types” and “temperament types” are methodologies that have been around for many, many years.
People have been fascinated with studying behavioral styles for thousands of years. Starting with the early astrologers, theorists have sought to identify these behavioral styles. In ancient Greece, for example, the physician Hippocrates outlined four temperaments: Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Melancholic, and Choleric… more than four decades before the birth of Christ. In 1921, famed psychologist Carl Jung (the first to study personal styles scientifically) labeled people as Intuitors, Thinkers, Feelers, and Sensors. Since then, psychologists have produced more than a dozen models of behavioral differences, some with sixteen or more possible blends. Some teachers have drawn metaphors (as teaching aids) to birds, animals, or even colors. Nevertheless, a common thread throughout the centuries is groupings of human behavior in four categories.
Many of the concepts discussed here book are based upon the proven concepts described in Dr. Tony Alessandra’s, Scott Zimmerman and Ron Finklestein’s book call The Platinum Rule for Small Business Mastery (eBook).
The Golden Rule-and many people aspire to live by it “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The Golden Rule implies the basic assumption that other people would like to be treated the way that you would like to be treated. We know this is not true.
The alternative to the Golden Rule is the Platinum Rule: “Treat others the way they want to be treated.”
What a difference. The Platinum Rule accommodates the feelings of others. The focus of relationships shifts from “this is what I want, so I’ll give everyone the same thing” to “let me first understand what they want and then I’ll give it to them.”
There are four behavioral styles the Director, Socializer, Thinker and Relater. As you read the description of each style, try to visualize someone who exhibits behavior specific to each style. Ask yourself whether you would have been a more successful with them had you adapted your behavior to match their style.
Directors… The Great Initiators
Directors initiate change, momentum and growth. They focus on attaining their goals, and their key need is to achieve their bottom-line results. The driving need for results, combined with their motto of “Lead, follow, or get out of the way,” explains their no-nonsense, direct approach to getting things accomplished.
Directors are driven by an inner need to be in personal control. They want to take charge of situations so they can be sure of attaining their goals.
Socializers… The Great Talkers
Socializers are the great talkers because they are friendly, enthusiastic and like to be where the action is. They thrive on admiration, acknowledgment, compliments and applause. They want to have fun and enjoy life. Energetic and fast-paced, Socializers tend to place more priority on relationships than on tasks. They influence others by their optimistic, friendly demeanor and they focus primarily on attaining positive approval from others.
Thinkers… The Great Analyzers
Thinkers are analytical, persistent and systematic problem solvers. They are more concerned with logic and content than style. Thinkers prefer involvement with products and services under specific, controlled, predictable conditions so they can continue to perfect the performance, process, and results.
Relaters… The Great Helpers
Relaters are warm, supportive and predictable. They are the most group-oriented of the four styles. Having friendly, lasting, first name relationships with others is one of their most important desires. They dislike interpersonal conflict so much that when they disagree, they will often keep silent. At other times, they may say what they think other people want to hear. They have natural counseling tendencies and are supportive of other people’s feelings, ideas and goals. Other people usually feel comfortable interacting with Relaters because of their low-key, non-confrontational nature. Relaters are natural listeners and like to be part of networks of people who share common interests.
To Friendly Persuasion in Business
Ron Finklestein
330-990-0788
ron@akris.net
