QBQ! The Question Behind the Question
Books | Business & Economics / Development / Business Development
John G. Miller
The lack of personal accountability is a problem that has resulted in an epidemic of blame, victim thinking, complaining, and procrastination. No organization—or individual—can successfully compete in the marketplace, achieve goals and objectives, provide outstanding service, engage in exceptional teamwork, or develop people without personal accountability. John G. Miller believes that the troubles that plague organizations cannot be solved by pointing fingers and blaming others. Rather, the real solutions are found when each of us recognizes the power of personal accountability. In QBQ! The Question Behind the Question®, Miller explains how negative, ill-focused questions like “Why do we have to go through all this change?” and “Who dropped the ball?” represent a lack of personal accountability. Conversely, when we ask better questions—QBQs—such as “What can I do to contribute?” or “How can I help solve the problem?” our lives and our organizations are transformed.THE QBQ! PROMISEThis remarkable and timely book provides a practical method for putting personal accountability into daily actions, with astonishing results: problems are solved, internal barriers come down, service improves, teams thrive, and people adapt to change more quickly. QBQ! is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to learn, grow, and change. Using this tool, each of us can add tremendous worth to our organizations and to our lives by eliminating blame, victim-thinking, and procrastination. QBQ! was written more than a decade ago and has helped countless readers practice personal accountability at work and at home. This version features a new foreword, revisions and new material throughout, and a section of FAQs that the author has received over the years.
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Author
John G. Miller
Pages
160
Publisher
Penguin
Published Date
2004-09-09
ISBN
0399152334 9780399152337
Ratings
Google: 3.5
Community ReviewsSee all
"On a Philosophical note, QBQ seems very Roman to me - the core of the QBQ model is about duty, the things you must do not because they are written in stone as required, heavily incentivized when completed, or heavily penalized when not, but because they are the Right things to do. I think the core QBQ is really what is my duty to the customer, to my co-workers, and to the company in this moment.
I think its funny that he points to examples of others pointing the finger in the opening chapter, and doesn’t give a personal example.
So the “society is made up of individuals” comment… ok sure, but we know that systems matter, that incentives matter, that society is shaping these individuals as they shape society. I think in a broader sense it is important to note that as we eliminate “victim thinking” in ourselves, we not only step up to the plate in each situation, but also looks to fix systemic issues where they persist. I think this applies both in the broad social and political environments, but also in the office. Take the invoice / discount issue: It is my duty as CS to step up and go through the invoices to email the gym owners, but that is a bandaid. We need to stop the bleeding by fixing the bug. I was able to safely assume that engineering was doing their duty to stop that bleeding, but I don’t think we can safely say that applies in all situations (more of a comment on his applicability to all of life).
Love the anti-procrastination stuff. I am actively working on that “just make your f***ing bed mentality”
I think his succeeding inside vs outside the box line could use some more nuance. If the box is your current resources, then yes, you have to succeed inside the box with innovative new ideas and creative strategies. If the box is current processes and expectations, then you have to get outside the box to be innovative.
I also wonder about burnout and dealing with assholes all day. I get that it makes a lot of sense for the airline management to want..."
Mark Beach