Forget management. This post is about the proper exercise of power. Don't run from it. Parents, landlords, even political leaders deal with this stuff.

First, good leadership is something we should celebrate. It is very hard, requires making a lot of tough decisions, and comes with a real personal cost. Unless you're a total psychopath, which most managers aren't, firing people or delivering bad news isn't easy--for anyone. Doing this all day is difficult.

However, there's a reason most human undertakings of any consequence involve hierarchy (armies, organized religion, etc): it works. It's needed to get things done. Companies aren't charities and in order to ensure the paychecks keep cashing, things have to get done. Goals have to be hit, decisions have to be made, and occasionally, staff let go or fired. All of this falls to management.

You don't have to do it, but someone does.

My favorite essay on this topic: https://medium.com/8vc-news/a-deficit-of-leadership-38bb888a...