This afternoon, a dear friend (Mike O'Neil of Davis and Associates) called to say hi and give me a heads up about a lead he was sending my way (and here is why you should ALWAYS BE NETWORKING).

While chatting, I asked Mike his reaction to a pattern I had noticed over the years regarding owners' and executives' management of their employees.  He was all over it with great input and insights. I am passing them along exactly as Mike stated them.

Ron, as for our other conversation, I agree about the two kinds of employers. 

(1) Those who distrust and assume/ expect every employee to take advantage of them, and
(2) Those who trust everyone and expect nothing but the best from their workers. 

BOTH VIEWPOINTS ARE WRONG! Some employees are completely loyal, honest and dedicated to their employer.  Others will take advantage any chance they get.  But most employees fall somewhere in the middle. 

They want to be treated with decency, respect, and dignity.  If their employer treats them this way, they'll return the favor.  But if their employer treats them poorly, abuses them or disrespects them, it's not too surprising if the employee returns the favor!

The issues here are; how do we walk that tightrope between too nice and too not nice?  You need to keep good employees happy and on board.  And you need to make sure the bad ones, and they are out there, don't take advantage of you.