I had to make some difficult decisions this week. A few team players haven’t been pulling their weight, so after several discussions trying to find the root of the problem, we had to have The Conversation.

There are moments to recognize when it’s time to move on. Passions may be mismatched, vision lost, energy depleted. Firing doesn’t need to reflect an individual’s potential; in fact, letting someone go gives them permission to find the position that will bring them prosperity and happiness (if it was the role at hand, the conversation would probably not be taking place to begin with).

The right team can catapult your project to success while a mismanaged bunch can send even the best, most meticulous plans to the gutter. It’s important to identify an individual’s motives and skills; it’s equally important to remember that even the more alluring incentives may not work.

One of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life is who you spend time with. Friends, colleagues and spouses have significant power over you. If you’ve ever worked in an office where colleagues were dismal and did barely what was needed to get by, you know the feeling you get when you’re around energy suckers. Or if you’ve been in a relationship that’s failed to meet your needs and validate you as a remarkable being, you’ve experienced that temporary loss of personal strength and clarity. It’s hard to create and build and dream when these kinds of people fill your days.

When you have the power to assemble a team, choose wisely, and have the compassion and empathy to recognize when it’s not working. Then, with kindness and care, let the other person go.