Perhaps one of the hardest persisting sells for the average quality professional is the challenge of effectively communicating the benefits of preventive action to senior management. The sales pitch is twofold: 1) defining the concept and 2) providing concrete examples that are applicable to the organization.Basically, preventive action is the way we manage the consequences of change. It really doesn’t matter if we have initiated the change or if we’re responding to one emanating from an external agent; the elemental attributes of change always apply. Change is inevitable—and it usually carries consequences, which may relate to the actions we take or to our decision to take no action.

Preventive action is an acknowledgement of the inevitability of change and a resolution to establish mechanisms for anticipating change to mitigate negative effects that may ensue.

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