No one likes to be wrong. At work, with your spouse, children, or family. But we all make mistakes, and sometimes our behaviors hurt another person.

Each day I take time to go through how I’ve acted, and I reflect on the things that I could have done better. I then actively work to make amends to anyone I have hurt.

It seems easy enough, right?

Sometimes though, emotions get in the way. When tensions are tight, and you can’t see eye-to-eye with someone, I recommend taking some time to cool off. Then come back together, listen to the person, and see if you can build a bridge to solve the problem.

What I’m seeing in the world right now is that we lack empathy, authenticity, and the willingness to listen. One side goes in thinking that they are right, and the other side does the same. Neither side is willing to listen or to compromise an inch.

Underneath the surface, I have a moral code that I follow. I do my best to be open-minded and have always followed the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

That’s gotten me through lots of problems, time and time again. However, there’s another way. Dave Kerpen has come up with the Platinum Rule. In his book, The Art of People, he recommends that we “treat other people as they would like to be treated.”

Everyone is different, and when we’re looking to make amends, why not treat someone the way they want rather than what works for us?

It’s a radical idea, isn’t it?

The next time you’re looking to make amends to someone for something that you’ve done, talk with them, actively listen to what they need, and then treat them as they’d like.

If we’re truly sorry, then flipping things and being open to showing someone we are sorry and want to do better makes all the difference.

It’s not always what we want and how we see the world. I know that I’m guilty of this myself.

What would happen if we all treated others the way that they wanted rather than what we iimpose on them from what we like?

Like what you’ve read? Be sure to check out my other posts in my Let Go and Be Free blog.