NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - AUGUST 26: Billy Ray Cyrus and Lil Nas X speak onstage during the 2019 MTV ... [+] Video Music Awards at Prudential Center on August 26, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTV)

Old Town Road by Lil Nas X received Diamond Certification by the RIAA this week. It became the 33rd in history and the fastest to achieve the honor. Not bad for a song that was originally produced in Atlanta for less than $50.

Diamond is 10 times platinum, when a single achieves the equivalent of 10 million units when combining sales and streaming. Here is a list of the 33 courtesy of Business Insider which includes three singles by both Eminem and Katy Perry. Diamond symbolizes the top honor in the recording industry, but it is also the new standard for achieving prosperity in business. Acting in accordance with the Diamond Rule is the next evolution of managing relationships and winning in sales. Its the 4.0 version that tops silver, golden and platinum approaches in business.

Lets look at 1.0, 2.0, and the 3.0 versions for background:

The Silver Rule is do no harm. As stated by Zigong, a disciple of Confucius, in the book Analects, What I do not wish others to do unto me, I also wish not to do unto others. The Silver Rule merely shares what not to do. Its not a bad start. Case in point, beginning in 2000, Google famously coined Dont be evil as part of the companys corporate code of conduct. The problem with Silver is that its not prescriptive. It doesnt tell you how to treat others in business.

Throughout nearly every culture and religion, the Golden Rule has become the gold standard of human dynamics. The Golden Rule is simply treating others the way you would like to be treated.

If the Silver Rule deals in what not to do, the Golden Rule broadens it to all situations. In 2015 with the founding of Alphabet, Google revised its motto of Dont be evil to Do the right thingfollow the law, act honorably, and treat each other with respect. This approach by Google is more aligned with the Golden Rule. Marriott even has an entire advertising campaign around the Golden Rule.

Unfortunately, in sales and managing relationships, the Golden Rule a bad rule.

Heres why: In most sales organizations, an acceptable conversion rate is about 25 percent, which means that only one out of every four opportunities converts into a sale. Because you were taught to follow the Golden Rule, its fair to assume you know what your clients want based on what you would want if you were them. Unfortunately, just looking at the conversion rates tells us that theres an issue. If anything else in our businesses was failing 75% of the time, we would immediately look for ways to improve.

The Golden Rule leads to suboptimal results. This is because not everybody wants the same thing or to be treated the same way. We always assume that if something is good for us, then it must be good for everyone else. And, that if we want to be treated in a certain way, then that must be how everyone else wants to be treated. Turns out, that assumption couldnt be further from the truth. It leads to failed sales opportunities and strained client relationships all the time!

NEW YORK - CIRCA 1961: Entertainer Perry Como rehearses on set of his TV show "Perry Como's Kraft ... [+] Music Hall" in New York. (Photo by Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

FACT: Gold is worth significantly more per ounce than silver. It can be as much as 100 times more valuable. It is also the denser of the two metals, which makes a specified volume of gold worth far more than an equal volume of silver. The very first Gold Certification Award by the RIAA was earned in 1958 to Perry Como for his hit single Catch A Falling Star.

The next level of the Golden Rule was popularized by Dr. Tony Alessandra in 1996. It simply is treating others the way that they want to be treated. Grounded in emotional intelligence, the Platinum Rule asks you to accommodate the feelings of others.

Dave Kerpen outlines the shortcomings of the Golden Rule in his book The Art of People. Kerpen writes,

"The Golden Rule, as great as it is, has limitations, since all people and all situations are different. When you follow the Platinum Rule, however, you can be sure you're actually doing what the other person wants to be done and assure yourself of a better outcome."

The Platinum Rule is more outward facing in its approach. The focus 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. One of the challenges when completely focusing on the other person is that we can overlook how were feeling and reacting to a situation. For example, we may go into a meeting with the best of intentions to apply the Platinum Rule, but then something happens where we feel upset or disrespected or unheard, and then our capability to actually apply the Platinum Rule is interrupted. Therefore, while the Platinum Rule is aspirational, we must also be true to ourselves and neutralize our biology in order to be capable of addressing the needs of others.

Considered one of the wealthiest Americans of all time, John D. Rockefeller, business magnate and philanthropist, clearly understood the intrinsic value of the Platinum Rule. He said that,

the ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee and I will pay more for that ability than for any other under the sun.

When you play the game of business by following the Platinum Rule, every game is an away game. You never have the home field advantage because success in the game is filtered through the needs and concerns of the other person. Your playbook focuses only on knowing how others want to be treated and whats important to them.

Johnnie Taylor

FACT: Platinum is more sought after than gold because it is rarer. Only 160 tons of platinum are mined annually around the world, as opposed to 1,500 tons of gold. Also, platinum is denser than gold; a platinum ring will weigh significantly more than a same-size ring in gold. Platinum is the new symbol of prestige. Think of the platinum credit card, which often has better benefits and privileges than the gold card. In the 1970s, the RIAA awarded the first Platinum Single Award. It was earned by Johnnie Taylor for the song Disco Lady.

The Diamond Rule takes the Platinum Rule to the next level. The key here is understanding both our own biology as well as that of our prospects and customers. Treating someone the way they want to be treated is tricky enough under normal circumstancesbut what happens when things start to get heated? In the immortal words of former boxing heavyweight champion,

Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.

Pressure can trigger a biological response that causes us to act in an unpredictable and irrational manner. Under pressure, our brain activates a hard-wired survival strategy every time it detects a perceived threat.

Why is the Diamond Rule so critical in sales and managing relationships?

The answer is simple. A sales situation is inherently full of pressure. To quote the late artists David Bowie and Freddie Mercury in Under Pressure, Pressure pushing down on me. Pressing down on you. Pressure can make things unstable. In sales, you need to manage yourself and your prospect/client through these difficult situations. The Diamond Rule combines elements of both Gold and Platinum. Said simply, the Diamond Rule is the art of managing yourself under pressure and addressing the needs of others to avoid their triggers.

Rooted in the understanding of our own behavioral style and the style of others, the Diamond Rule allows you to solve problems and achieve prosperity in the pressure-filled game of business.

Practicing the Diamond Rule requires two elements: 1) you have to see your own predictable behavioral style when pressure hits, and 2) you need the capability to assess prospects/clients relative to four different, predictable behavioral styles based primarily on how people respond biologically to pressure.

Since we all tend to be pretty strong in only one of the four styles of Control, Influence, Power or Authority, its no surprise that we tend to connect with those whose style is similar to ours but find ourselves challenged to connect with those who have a different style. Therefore, when working outside of our own category, we may be less effective, leading to upwards of a 75 percent failure rate in sales conversion.

The Diamond Rule is the most advanced approach for working effectively with other people. As a combination of the Golden Rule and the Platinum Rule, it requires you to consider and satisfy your own instinctive concerns and needs while simultaneously addressing the needs of others. While it takes keen awareness and presence to pull this off, it is truly the Holy Grail of human dynamics.

Diamond Rule behavior means effectively managing your identity (personal brand) with others even when your biology (survival response to pressure) is getting triggered (feeling under attack) in the game of business.

When you adhere to the Diamond Rule, you rise above pressure, reaching an elevation that makes it easy to focus on solving client problems and reducing the pressure they feel. This makes you stand out as unique and better in the eyes of your client, dramatically increasing your ability to win business.

A diamond is a symbol of wealth and wisdom. The more you mine for diamonds in your pursuits, the more success you will reap. Unlike Gold or Platinum which can be molded, you need to work with the natural elements of Diamonds and the natural reactions of human biology.

Are you ready to go Diamond to win in sales and managing customer relationships?

Singer Elton John performing a rewritten version of his song 'Candle in the wind' as a tribute to ... [+] Diana, Princess of Wales, at her funeral. Over a million mourners lined the route of the funeral procession through London. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images)

FACT: Diamonds are crystals of pure carbon that have formed under a combination of high temperatures and extreme pressure in the Earths mantle. Diamonds are not found on the Earths surface, they must be mined with a pick-axe while tunneling deep in the ground. Given the process of sourcing diamonds and their value, they are much more precious and expensive than gold and platinum combined. CASE(S) IN POINT: Its no coincidence that Diamond Medallion is the highest status on Delta Airlines. Status has four levels: Silver, Gold, Platinumand Diamond. To achieve Diamond Medallion status, you must travel 125,000 medallion qualifying miles a year. Thats exactly the amount of Gold (50,000) and Platinum (75,000) combined. Candle in the Wind by Elton John was the first single to achieve Diamond certification status by the RIAA.

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Old Town Road By Lil Nas X Goes Diamond And You Should Too In Business - Forbes