Here are some basic rules I will lay down that will ensure the safety of your players trust....

1. Do NOT ask for donations straight up.
2. Do NOT let friends be owners.
3. Do NOT op everyone.
4. Do NOT give free items out to everyone.
5. Do NOT rage at players when they do wrong.
6. Do NOT become afk for a long time...
7. Do NOT make yourself a god to them..

#1 (In-depth.)
Now... I have been on many servers where the owners demand you to donate your money to them.
No matter what you do, never attempt to threaten someone for money to your server and etc.
This will never work and players will usually leave or fight back, usually resulting in a ban..
(And negative server ratings.)
There are actually cases where server owners have banned me for not donating. 
To avoid this just don't talk to players about donating. (Unless they ask how to.)

#2 (In-depth.)
There are some server owners in which they op their real life friends to owners.
You might think to yourself that your friend would never do such a bad thing and they are nice to you...
But in reality they use this thinking to their advantage and also if you say no they will blackmail you by saying they won't be your friend... Some 'friends' would ban any players that deny their thinking, or they just want to be a -snip-.
I've been banned several times also by the 'friends' of owners who thought it was funny that girls play Minecraft..

Solutions:
1. Stop being their friend... (Someone who uses your friendship to get what they want is just dumb...They are only using you.)
2. Give them a false rank... (Give them a fake admin rank that doesn't allow banning,muting,kicking, and etc.)
(If they demand for ability, make sure to explain what harm they will do, or do step #1..

#3 (In-depth.)

There are servers where owners op people who have been on their servers for a long time, or donated to the server...
I know that having your first donation is majestic and all, but do NOT give op rank to someone who just donated.. They are, after all, a normal person who you don't know who just gave you a dollar or two. And you do not know in real life if they are a serial killer or etc...

Solutions:
1. Just say thanks.. (They're probably going to be flattered.)
2. Turn them the other way. (If they demand to be op for donating, just say that if they don't cut it out you might give him/her a perm ban or a temp ban...Or mute.)

#4 (In-depth.) 
If you give out free items every day.. Then you know you have a huge problem.
If you give out diamonds everyday the cost of it will go down and everyone will be op. (Which won't be fun.)
And before you know it players will 'mysteriously' stop donating to get your diamond package...
And if you find your staff member to be giving out free items, make sure to demote them and set a restriction for all staff (besides yourself.) to not be able to do /i command. Or throw items in creative.

#5 (In-depth.)
As a server owner, your goal is to make yourself a higher being (on your server.) and make people respect you.
Your goal is not to rage, spam, and mute players who go against your saying. (Or banning and etc.)(unless it's against the rules to grief and etc. and they just broke it.)
Try to act like a civilized person and make poeple think highly of you, always make a impression of a 35 year old mature human being.
After all, you are controlling them like a king/queen... So be a good impression of one.

Solutions:
What can I say? Take anger management classes?
(Or if your some sort of sadist make sure to go to a therpist.)

#6 (In-depth.)
No one likes server owners who don't do crap for their servers (unless you are the one.)
If you don't keep doing constant updates, none of your players will think that your busy if you haven't updated the server for 3 months into summer.
Make sure to make constant updated and etc. to make your server a better place. Take suggestions from players and evaluate any possibiliy for something to go wrong.
After all, no one likes a ruler who just sits back and become lazy.

#7 (In-depth.)
If you make people your servents or slaves and say they are weak and stupid, you are not setting a good example of yourself..
If they say slang to you like "srry" when they do a mistake. Do NOT mute them for 3 days... (Actually happened to me.)
Also, humans have a slight tend to disobey the "God." and do what they want to destroy you slowly.. So don't be a jerk.

Solutions:
Lower your bravado (It's not confidence, it's just trying to impress with lies.)

If you have any more tips, please post them in the comments so I can add them!