[eldavido]

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...

[paulcole]

> Unless you're a total psychopath, which most managers aren't, firing people or delivering bad news isn't easy

As someone who’s had to do it a few times, I’ve found that the actual act of firing someone for poor performance is pretty easy — getting to the decision to fire them can be very challenging though. But once the decision’s been made it’s just working through the steps to see it through.

Honestly the end result is that everyone else is better off because a poor performer isn’t holding things back. And eventually the poor performer’s life is going to be better because they’ll find something they’re excellent at.

It’s kind of like the house being on fire and you’re the one with the hose. If you choose not to use it, everyone suffers.

At least that’s my positive take on firing.