Throughout a person’s path in the career world, they will most likely cycle through several organizations and multiple superiors along the way. Years ago, it was very common for a person to stick with their initial job out of college until retirement. Now, most make a few pit-stops along the way until they feel stable, welcomed, and prosperous at an occupation. Salary, benefits, schedule, and duties are all important aspects people take into great value while deciding if a certain career is conducive to their lifestyle and goals.

After years of analyzing what’s most important to me, and from feedback I’ve gathered from others, there is one quality that trumps all of the above factors when it comes to job happiness and harmony in the workplace. The more-often-than-not deal breaker between management and employees typically lies within the actions and statements coming from above. What does this mean? Specifically speaking, a manager’s style, tendencies, and qualities.

We all have worked for “that” kind of boss or manager at some point in time of our careers. You know, the boss that is never wrong, hot-headed, and holds grudges. Under this type of leader, everyone in the workplace seems to walk on egg shells, be scared to reach for their potential, and easily loses passion for the position they hold. Not only do most employees respond poorly to these conditions, but they will tend to favor other managers within the organization; which causes disconnect and lack of unity amongst the team.

For anyone who has been in these shoes, is aspiring to be a manager in a place of business, or is just looking for the right way to lead a team; your answer lies here. Treat people how you would like to be treated in return. This holds true in jobs, sports, family life, and any organizational structure. Success starts at the top, and traits and tendencies trickle down the ladder. If a leader is typically angry, stubborn, and combative; then by laws of human nature and the need to conform, the rest of the team will embody these same qualities. This sounds like a nightmare for an average consumer or vendor who is looking for reputable products and customer service from a place of business.

So whether you’re just having a bad day, or you’re out to set a strict tone, remember that being negative and a dictator will only go so far. People want to work for others who respect them , show care, and take the time to acknowledge the little things. The managers I’ve admired the most in my career thus far are the ones who aren’t afraid to “get their hands dirty” too, and are accessible, positive, and goal-oriented. Such simple qualities, really do a go a long way.

I won’t reference personal anecdotes, names, or former employers; but I will paint a perfect picture of all this with a sports example. Think about Bobby Knight’s last three or four years coaching the Indiana Hoosiers Men’s Basketball Team. The team was no longer making deep tournament runs, playing like themselves, or intimidating opponents like they used to. In Knight’s final seasons, he was as fiery as ever both on and off the court. His temper and constant verbal sound-offs eventually diminished his product.

His players (or “staff” if you will) acted scared, disinterested, and unloyal to their coach (or “boss” if you will) on many occasions.

Knight’s type of snow-ball effect is a recipe for disaster in the business world when it comes to employee and manager relations. So the next time you think about becoming a loose cannon or ticking time bomb, think about how Bob Knight lost his players with that same approach. Nobody wants to end up miserable, but everybody wants to end up a winner. To achieve this, lead by example and treat subordinates as you would want to be treated by superiors. Think about it.