Just an extension to your post... I sold and retired but I used to get shocked looks when I revealed that some of my employees earned a higher wage than I did.

Just an extension to your post... I sold and retired but I used to get shocked looks when I revealed that some of my employees earned a higher wage than I did. Basically, I paid myself a reasonable salary and paid other people to do things that I could not. On the whole, I think this fostered a good work environment. There was a physically demonstrable level of respect. Salaries weren't ever really hidden, so it was almost certainly a motivator/morale boost when crunch times came. I paid myself enough and, for the most part, just kept pushing funds back into growth and a nest egg. I also kept the business as a separate entity. To give an example, this was the early 1990s and quality programmers weren't easy to find. New hires started in the six figure range, unadjusted dollars. As an aside, it's notable that folks tell me that wages haven't really improved and, in sme cases, have declined. Anyhow, the gist of this post is that showing respect earns you respect. Granted, the company never expanded beyond 250 people and I haven't actually ever taken a business class. So, I guess this is largely anecdotal.