PLEASE break this 'golden rule' of communication

Here's a golden rule of communication that's well worth breaking.

At the beginning of every communications training course I ask people to finish this phrase...

 "Always treat people the way......" and they invariably chime "you want to be treated yourself!"

No!! Wrong! BAD answer! That's the dumbest rule in the world!

Because, you see, if I go into a shop, I want to be treated with applause. I want people to play music. I want "Mark Bunting" to be announced across the speakers!!!

I want someone to grab me by the arm. I want them to walk me around the store. I want applause as I leave with an arm full of goods. I want the staff to cry and wave white hankies in the wind as I romp off down the street!

Now it's a fairly safe bet that not many people want to be treated that way, right?

But if I opened a store and treated you how I want to be treated myself, you'd never come back. I'd be out of business in a day!

Wouldn't it be better to treat people how they want to be treated?

But how? - they leave LOADS of clues, but that, dear reader, is for another blog......