In my opinion, it all boils down to one word. That word is respect.
Respect your crew. Respect the work they do. Whether you jus tell them they did a good job, give them a pat on the back, or buy them presents, they need to know that you appreciate what you're doing, or else morale will take a nosedive. Don't shout at them, and never, ever, publically belittle them. Praise in public, but punish in private. It may make you feel good to
rail at someone in front of their friends, but it makes them feel like crap, and it makes you look like a Colonel in a Bananna Republic.
Respect peoples' skills. In your case, you're a sound person, but this applies to anyone with a specialty, be it LX, carpentry,
etc. You are not omniscient. You need to be willing to acknowledge that people know more about something than you do. Your lighting tech knows more about lighting than you do. Never forget this, and don;t try to pretend that's not the case. Save yourself countless embarassing situations and a huge loss of credibility by leaving specialized things to people who specialize in them, rather than trying to have your fingers in every pie. Likewise, when you are wrong, know it and admitt it. There are people who know more than you who you are in charge of. This is an asset, so don;t pretend that you know more than them.
Respect the show. Some author worked to write the show, so try not to make it suck and cause him or her to turn over in their grave!
Respect the cast. I know, but actors are frustrating, tiresome, and often have less than exemplary standards of personal hygene. But remember, nobody watches the booth. They came to see the show, the actors are the visible part of the show, so they're a necessity. So treat them nicely, and they'll be nice to you. Then cut their heads off after the show is over.
Respect your superiors. Or else they'll turf you out. Nobody likes a kid that thinks they're an adult with said powers. This is the one guaranteed to end your SM career.
Respect the equipment. Chances are, that's not a table. Nor is it a trash can. And those light's aren't "pretty" unless you want your head cut off by the LD.
Respect... well, this one dosen't start with "respect"... but is sure deserves its own paragraph. Yelling is a tool, not a way of life. If you yell at people for everything, then they get used to it, and it loses its effectiveness. Also, it's a surefire way to piss them off. It also makes you look terrible, despotic, and often infantile. A well placed shout can be good, but only in extenuating circumstances. Not for when the set crew misses the
spike marks (unless they were on the wrong half of the
stage) or when the lights are a
bit late or early. A cool head will win the day, and people respond better to it. But if people are persistently doing something wrong, you might want to up the ante a little
bit.
Respect peoples' love for what they are doing. This is HS theater, not Broadway. People are doing this because they like to do it, not because it's profitable. 99% of the tiume people are doing what they do in good faith, because they like doing it. Respect that, and recognize that without them volunteering their time, just like you do, there would be no show. Likewise, you don;t have a reputation or a future job on the
line with this one, so relax. Que sera sera, my friend, you have to learn to
roll with the punches.