mahlere-
I have a similar situation to steven76 but I also understand your point(I think)
I was trained buy a contractor who had me show up for work in the morning at his house. He too had hands faster than the eye. He literally had to slow down so I could see how he was making up a box. He also led by example. When my foreman looked at an attic crawl that both he and I thought was too tight, the boss, quite rightfully disgusted, came up and wriggled through it like it was nothing. I followed and to this day that has been a lasting impression on me. But only one of many. This guy knew what it took to get the job done and wasn't afraid to do it, know matter how hard it was or how long it took.
Yes I worked long and hard for what most would consider low wages. I took a significant pay cut to change from a go nowhere career to electrical.
Yes, his raises were small at first, but they came often and got larger later. He expressed gratitude in xmas bonuses as well. They were pretty decent. If I really needed money he would loan or give it to me.
And most important of all he would talk to me about code, business, the sleazyness of some homeowners and most GCs.
His example of what a motivated individual can do if he wants to, and his sharing of the ins and outs of what he had learned in business made my the free contractor that I am today and I will always remember that.

Now as far as surfing on the backs of others.
No I do not want to do that as employer and that's probably the main reason that I'm not an employer now. I would want to pay my employees so well and demand so little that that I would be inundated with people who would drive me out of business in no time at all.
Yes, I did resent knowing that 15%-20% of my annual income was based on bonuses that I couldn't necessarily plan around year to year.
And yes, I did resent the back breaking pace and complete dedication to "The Schedule" that was the central if not only the focus of my life at that time. But it helped forge me into a man that "get it done" "deal with it" or "whatever" not only in my professional life but my personal life as well. In hindsight I think I got the deal there.

Are you an employer and if so how do you make it all balance? I would like to know.
Vince