group think of him - otherwise they wouldn't follow him. This doesn't mean that he has to be nice to them - the "hard man" approach can be just as effective.
Possibly, Avon achieves this by accident - he really doesn't care but just finds that the others follow him anyway.
On the other hand it may be deliberate.
I'm inclined to think that there is at least some element of calculation in how he treats his crew members. For instance, he does seem to have some insight in how to handle Vila. E.g. he is aware how Tarrant's handling of Vila in "City" is a bad idea.
So I suppose what I'm saying is that the "Avon doesn't give a damn" viewpoint is misleading. He may well not give a damn on a personal level, but he is surely aware that how he presents himself is important.
Best wishes, James