100%. People forget managers are humans too. They were likely an IC at some point and now have to answer to higher up power who are under more acute PnL stress

100%. People forget managers are humans too. They were likely an IC at some point and now have to answer to higher up power who are under more acute PnL stress hence the pressure flows down to them. The trick with manager is to release some of that pressure as it goes down to their directs, this might mean taking it head on directly and shielding directs from it or just re-directing it back up the chain.