Preventive Maintenance

No one likes it when things break down, whether they’re cars, businesses, or relationships. I’m posting a bit later today because I’m not a fan of failure and so I took a little time this morning to make sure that my very reliable, but fairly complicated hybrid car doesn’t leave me stranded somewhere between here and there.
Nothing was wrong – the car has been running quite well – but I think a little preventive maintenance is a good idea.   It’s a chance to have an expert look things over and make the small adjustments that keep everything on track.  In this case, the mechanic found two manufacturer notices which needed to be addressed (just a warning light problem and new software for the hybrid computer), oil, tire rotation really boring, simple things.  But important.

In my mind, this same sort of investment in long-term savings needs to be done in your business and in your personal relationships. Assuming that the things that are purring right along will stay that way without a little check-up once in a while is myopic. In business, the annual or quarterly budget review is a great time to take a look under the hood of your enterprise. In relationships, birthdays, anniversaries, or any thought you have about a person (“I went to see a band we saw together 20 years ago”) is a great excuse to do a little maintenance.

How do you prevent failure in business or relationships before it has a chance to occur?  Do you keep maintenance records?  What kinds?  Are you as diligent with things other than your car?