Why do I feel like the bad guy when I'm being a boss?

Every time you use your authority, you feel like the villain — even when what you are doing is right and needed. That feeling is common in people who lead with a conscience. You do not want to hurt anyone, so any decision that disappoints someone feels like a small cruelty. But feeling like the bad guy and being the bad guy are not the same thing. A real bad guy uses authority for themselves, at others' expense. What you are describing is the opposite — doing the necessary thing even though it costs you comfort. Someone has to make the hard call, hold the line, deliver the news no one wants. When you do it fairly and for good reason, you are not the villain. You are the person carrying a weight so the team does not have to. That is the job. So separate the discomfort from the wrongdoing. Before your next hard call, ask one question: is this fair, and is it necessary? If yes, do it, and let the bad feeling come without believing it. Feeling like the bad guy is the tax on leading with a heart. It is not a signal you are doing harm.