IT'S WORK

I watched the film "Ray", and was struck by the scene where the business/road manager, Wilbur Brassfield was compensating Lowell Fulson's band. There he was holding on to what they'd earned, and them lined up like children begging for pennies. The Brassfield character acted as if the money was his. He carried on as if they didn't deserve their money; as if it was killing him to let it go. He had a rather nasty attitude, as if it he was being forced to pay people who hadn't worked at all! He treated them as if they had no rights concerning their earnings, and was always scheming to find ways to dock their pay in order to keep their money in his pocket. Clearly he forgot that if it wasn't for the band, HIS job would have been non-existent.

What IS that Mr. Hyde spirit; that fleeing spirit; that blank stare, clueless, defensive, apologetic thing that comes over people when it's time to pay up? How is it that EVERY other aspect of a thing is handled ultra professionally, rigidly, and by the book, but when it's time to pay the people who kept their end of the deal and did the work, things suddenly break down and disintegrate? When people sign on to do a job/task there should be MUTUAL gratitude. After all, one wouldn't be looking for someone to work if there wasn't any work to do, now would they?
Don't diminish workers and make them feel as if their lives depend upon the opportunity. Don't compensate people in a manner that suggests they did no work at all, or shouldn't expect to be paid.
Too often people who profit from the work others do, expect them to be thrilled about any and everything. They expect others to endure rudeness, sacrifice time, honor unreasonable demands, deplete their own resources, and come back for more. Maybe another person would jump at the opportunity you're offering, but they might also be mediocre and, unlike the person(s) you regularly misuse, take one look at their paycheck and jump across the room and punch you in your greedy, self-centered face.

If you KNOW you're not doing right by people, but they're on the job anyway, you don't get to be a raving lunatic dictator. Maybe there IS someone else who will gladly put up with foolishness and a less than welcoming atmosphere just to be in the number. Maybe there ARE those who would kill for the chance. Maybe there IS someone who will come in and happily sing, dance, shuck, jive, pick AND buy the cotton, but you didn't assign them the task now, did you?
Be mindful your tone and demeanor. Curb unreasonable demands. Don't be a nuisance. Be grateful for good, competent, consistent, cooperative people--especially when you aren't exactly forthcoming about the details of the job, or you haven't paid/ aren't going to pay, or deliberately, consciously, and consistently shortchange others for the work you expect them to do. Never get it twisted as to why people sign on to do a thing. It isn't always because they have to, need to, or have no other choice. Whatever their reason, they're there. Demand of yourself that you treat them with the utmost respect.
You don't sustain people. God does.