Management Pilots
What is is that motivates management pilots?
Can't be the money. Is it the power that they imagine they wield toeing the company line and then often end up being despised by their (ex) mates? Do they suffer from delusions of grandeur that they're going to be the next General Manager when their talents are recognised? Not many have ever lasted that long. Probably recognised that senior managment in all airlines don't like pilots anyway. Maybe it's having the 'inside info'.
Plenty of downside.
Phone calls at all hours of the night from some remote outpost asking for a written dispensation. Some I've known have ended up with health problems after months and sometimes years of pressure to balance the budget. Getting into the car and going to spend 8 hrs at the office usually early in the morning to avoid traffic. Attending meetings, writing reports etc., ad infinitum.
The ones most vilified usually are the ones that work for the union and then go to management.
Most of the time these jobs don't attract the sharper knives in the drawer because no one wants them.