I believe it’s easier to get respect and more productivity by being a leader, not a boss. Good on you!
Exactly. Lead by example, not by being an asshole, overly demanding boss.
Even when I first started building houses in Lincoln after I was done at the U (back in 94), my two best friends were my help, lol. But even when my company grew, and I hired other help, almost all of them were more on the friend level. I considered them friends, even though they worked for me, and still consider them friends.
Now some of my other businesses (franchised retail), it is a different business than building houses. Even then, I was not just a boss, and I didn't want them just being employees. I had franchised stores for 18 years before getting out in 2019 (good timing right before Covid), but many of the people who worked in my stores are still good friends. The way I ran my stores was all about the customer service, high quality products, and genuine care about anyone who came in to my store. And I wanted my employees to treat customers the same way. It's how one builds a business with a good following and good rep.
Back to trucks - I have had Ford, GM (chevy/GMC) and Dodge. All were fine for my needs. I trade about every 3 years normally, so have gone through quite a few over the years. Not really brand sensitive, although I have mostly had GM trucks for a while now. As I stated, my 2020 GMC AT4 with the 3.0 was a nice truck. Loved the engine, didn't love the complicated emissions system.