Today I had to inform the effect of my decision to the person it concerned. We wouldn't continue their contract beyond the trial period.
This was the first time in my career in the management I had to do something like this. I really wasn't looking forward to this ungrateful responsibility. I even got two offers from helpful and more experienced colleagues to take care of it for me.
It would have been so much easier to just ask them to deal with it. It's easy to make hard decisions when you don't have to bear the consequences. But it wouldn't have been right. It was my decision so it was also my duty to inform about it. They deserved to hear it from me.
Afterwards I had a chat with another fellow manager who has quite a bit more experience on these kind of situations. I was relieved when they told me it doesn't get any easier no matter how many times you do it, but at least now you know you can do it.
The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword
-George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones