He was so strict with his vassals that he relentlessly punished those who had made even a slight mistake in battle as well as being fond of leading battles from the front, and had many other character defects.
直政は家臣に非常に厳しく、少しでも戦で失敗をした者がいれば容赦せず処罰し、一軍の将となっても自ら先陣に立って戦うことを好むなど激烈な性格で、短所も多かった。