The Platinum Rule: Discover the Four Basic Business Personalities--And How They Can Lead You to Success

The Golden Rule is limiting in one sense, say Alessandra and O'Connor, who last collaborated on People Smarts, because it assumes all human beings are alike. The authors propose instead a Platinum Rule, ""Do unto others as they'd like done unto them,"" and concentrate on how to read people better so as to use the rule to succeed in business and industry. At the start, they posit four behavioral styles: directors, who are forceful, competitive, decisive; socializers, who are outgoing, optimistic, gregarious; relaters, who are genial, stable, eager to please; and thinkers, who are self-controlled, cautious, analytical rather than emotional. The book continues with a checklist so readers can determine their own personality types and then advises learning to identify and adapt to the styles (or combinations of the styles) of others so as to advance, whether in peer groups, management, sales or interactions with other businesses. The book is simple, but it may help those who want to increase their sensitivity to others and their power to communicate. Author tour. (Aug.)