Before answering this question, I think it necessary to make a preliminary consideration. Among the many categories into which different types of employment could be organized, there is a very comprehensive distinction, easily understood by all, which, in order to develop my thoughts in this post I must clarify. Simply put, one hand we have those jobs whose development depends on ones use of the "brain", and on the other, those which are governed mainly by one’s "muscles". In the first case, we speak generally about “professional” industries (consulting, banking, technology, etc.) and in reference to the latter, we speak generally about those business models where the Directors or Managers also serves as foremen.
Having made this distinction, it should be noted that although no doubt the ideal business relationship between executives and employees must always grow along a path of the admiration and respect, the reality of these two segments is usually quite different. Although in those more cerebral work environments the Director hopes to be seen as a leader (I will explain how) and he/she, in turn, sees his/her team as part of a necessary symbiosis, in those cases where the work is more physical, the Executive is often viewed by their employees with some trepidation, that is, as someone they should flee, what often feeds into the belief by those same Managers that if he/she was not "the whip" no one would work and therefore unfortunately behaves as if he/she really held such instrument of oppression.
At this point I would like to focus this discussion on the first kind of work described, the brain kind. I have mentioned at the beginning a personal belief into which I would like to dig a little deeper. On numerous occasions I have heard Executives wondering what he/she could to make his/her employees "like him/her". In my view this is the wrong approach. The question that should be (and it is clear that something is going wrong if it’s even necessary at this juncture), how one should behave to be "admired" by his/her team. "Admiration"- here is the crux of the matter. Can a person without values be admired? A Manager can’t be either. In the best of circumstances a person who does not behave ethically, with dignity and integrity could come to earn the respect of his employees for his/her technical skills but nobody would want to be like this manager nor imitate him/her. Of course, these values go beyond age or experience, and rather depend on talent and a certain level of maturity - the minimum requirements that an Executive should establish to reach successful business results and therefore also with his/her employees. The benefits of living during all 24 hours (and not only during the 8 at the office) in an honest manner are incalculable. It’s worth a try.