Transfer all your WoW gold to me, for me.

I manage a staff of 12 locally (others overseas) who's collective tenure is in the hundreds of years (no joke). One guy I'm giving his 45-year service award Monday. What I've done to keep them motivated and earn their trust/pseudo-respect: fine common ground through humor, interests, life (e.g., children if you have them) and build from there. I've kept them motivated through various incentives (money, looking the other way on leaving early, some work from home) but I also make rational arguments as to why, for example, I've raised their productivity targets. This has resulted in a 50% YOY productivity increase, and they'll go 30% over that next year at this pace. No one hates me and while they may grumble, they understand why things are the way they are. Anyway, hope that helps.