If you’ve got someone on your team who needs to go, then do it this week.

We’ll be into November next week, and Thanksgiving (in the United States) will be here before you know it. Then we’re fully into the holidays in December.

You’ll look like the Grinch if you fire someone in November and December. Your whole team will talk about what a jerk you are.

This is your last chance to let the person go without it looking like you took the turkey right off the victim’s holiday table.

Hopefully, you’ve already done what needs to be done to prepare yourself and the employee for termination. You’ve been counseling the person, documenting your actions, etc. Of course, every state has different requirements. Thankfully, my state, an at-will state, has minimal steps for us to take. We can fire pretty much willy-nilly. Make sure you do what you’ve got to do to comply with the law in your jurisdiction.

It’s unfortunate, but some employees just don’t work out. Both of you will be better off when the relationship is over. I’ve fired people who have found a better fit and done very well for themselves. I was only holding them back by keeping them in a job that really wasn’t right for them.

It’s easy to procrastinate about letting go of an unsatisfactory employee. It’s easy to keep reexamining the situation and finding something positive that allows you to drag it out for another week.

However, these situations rarely get better. They get progressively worse. Once you’ve started thinking about when the end will come, it’s time.

This is your week. Take action. If you don’t, you’re going to be buying that employee a holiday gift a month from now, and then you’re really going to hate yourself.