Who knew that the Golden Rule we learned during our younger years could apply in making yourself a more effective manager? Forget about all that you learned and heard from personal development books and articles and just go back to the basics: In a recent Forbes article, management expert Victor Lipman says,

One of the most fundamental things a manager can do to get others to work their hardest is easy: Treat others as you’d wish to be treated yourself.

Interesting concept, right? However, the advice works as long as there are three factors a manager keeps in mind:

• It Can’t Govern Everything You Do - Augustine says that not everyone responds to the same communication and management style, leading a manager to adjust the way he/she relates to each employee.

• The Opposite Should Be True, Too - It’s equally about avoiding doing the things you wouldn’t want done to you.

• It Should Influence Your Actions at the Most Fundamental Level - Do you want your employees to be honest with you? Respectful? Fair? Even-tempered? The key is to display that behavior yourself. Through that fundamental behavior, you’ll show your team you’re a dedicated manager—a leader they want to look up to, work hard for, and create success for.

Try exercising the Golden Rule and see how it can transform your team’s relationships and performance. The results could be golden.