True talent is hard to come by, especially when it comes to music. Sure, most people enjoy listening to music and can probably carry a tune to some extent, but having raw, undeniable talent is rare. A sad truth about the music industry is that many artists aren’t treated well by their management, and many talented individuals experience a loss of freedom when it comes to the type of music they create, their image, or even their personal life. If you work in talent management and are responsible for bands for hire, here are a few of the biggest reasons why it is important to treat your talent properly.

Musicians Are People, Too

The music industry can be incredibly cutthroat and can seem like a revolving door of talented people coming and going. If you work in talent management, the constant cycle of turnover can make you jaded to the entire process, and you may find yourself viewing musicians only as “talent” and not as the individual people that they are. This is one of the biggest reasons why it is important to treat your talent properly. A good rule of thumb is simply to treat people the way you want to be treated.

You’re On the Same Team

At the end of the day, you and the musicians you manage have one common goal: to release good music into the world. It isn’t uncommon for talent and management to often butt heads, and it can be frustrating to feel like you’re not understanding what the other person wants. However, one of the best ways to maintain a solid relationship between you and your talent is to realize that you’re playing for the same team and be sure to let them know that you have their best interests at heart.

They Will Perform Better

Nobody performs at their highest level when they are under a lot of stress or being mistreated, and the same goes for musicians. The life of a working musician can be grueling and it’s easy to feel burnt out between recording in the studio, touring, and everything else that goes into being successful. For this reason, it is in your best interest to treat your talent properly and ensure they are getting enough rest and downtime so that they are able to perform their best.