QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller Flashcards
While in the past we may have wanted loyal employees, today we need flexible people who are not possessive about “the way things are done around here.”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
definition of the QBQ: A tool that enables individuals to practice personal accountability by making better choices in the moment.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
with the way he thought, would be so quickly on his way up “the ladder of success.” That’s the difference personal accountability can make.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
The idea that we are accountable for our own choices and are free to make better ones is fundamental to the QBQ.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
One of the guiding principles of the QBQ is “The answers are in the questions,” which speaks to the same truth: If we ask ourselves a better question, we get a better answer. So the QBQ is about asking better questions.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
three simple guidelines for creating a QBQ: 1. Begin with “What” or “How” (not “Why,” “When,” or “Who”). 2. Contain an “I” (not “they,” “we,” or “you”). 3. Focus on action. “What can I do?” for example, follows the guidelines perfectly.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
I asked a department manager once how many people worked for him, and he said, “About half!” It’s a funny response,
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
“What I really do is help people—including myself—eliminate victim thinking from their lives.”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
The best thing we can do to get rid of victim thinking in our world is to get rid of it in ourselves.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
stress is a choice, because whatever the “trigger event,” we always choose our own response. We choose to react angrily. We choose to stuff our emotions and keep quiet. We choose to worry.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
The truth is, different people have different reactions to the same situation. Stress is a choice. Stress is also the result of our choices.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
When we choose to ask a question like “Why is this happening to me?” we feel as if we have no control. This leads us to a victim mindset, which is extremely stressful.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Even in cases where we actually are victims and our feelings seem justified, Why me? thinking only adds to our stress.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
When Stacey was twelve years old, she and her father, a pilot, took off on a Sunday afternoon joyride in their single-engine Cessna. Not long into the flight, and about a mile up over Lake Michigan, the joy of their father-daughter adventure came to an abrupt halt. The engine quit.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
“The reality is if a strategy or tactic is working now, the odds are high that it won’t work in the future.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
When faced with a new situation, Stacey’s dad took action and solved the problem.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
When we ask “When?” we’re really saying we have no choice but to wait and put off action until another time. Questions that begin with “When” lead to procrastination.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
I don’t believe most people intend to procrastinate. Certainly no one ever gets out of bed and says, “Today, I’m going to procrastinate!”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
“Long-range, strategic planning is a great tool, but we need to get some things done before lunch!”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Let’s take care of the little things while they’re still little.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Focusing on what we don’t have is a waste of time and energy and kills innovation.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
We don’t need the “new” thing or the “hot” topic. What we need to do is stay away from fads and practice the fundamentals—like personal accountability—day in and day out.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
When we ask “Who?” questions like these, what we’re really doing is looking for scapegoats, someone else to blame.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
A Poor Sailor Blames the Wind
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
For all the time and resources our organizations spend on team-building, we still seem to forget one simple truth: We’re all on the same team.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Who is the “ref” in your life? What person or circumstance beyond your control is standing between you and success?
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
The Ultimate QBQ: “How can I let go of what I can’t control?”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
When she got to me, I stopped her and said, “You know, Bonita, I really appreciate your attitude!” As she sashayed away with that big smile on her face and the Santa Claus cap on her head, she said, “Well, whatever you do, don’t drug test me!”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
“Ownership does not require having an equity stake in the organization or holding an official position of leadership. It simply means facing problems head-on instead of blaming, complaining, procrastinating, or making excuses.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Would you watch a bald eagle soar and say, “I wish he could swim the seas like a dolphin”? Would you look at a dolphin and hope it someday might reach the heavens like a giraffe?
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
“A true teammate is someone who can look right through you and still enjoy the view.”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
“How can I appreciate people’s gifts and strengths just as they are?”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
successful teams are based on individuals who practice personal accountability.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
if everyone is asking, “What can we do?” then nobody is asking, “What can I do?”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
All QBQs contain an “I,” not “they,” “we,” or “you.”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
“I believe it’s my job to change people—I’m a manager!” Sorry. Managers don’t change people. They can coach, counsel, teach, and guide, but no one changes another person. Change only comes from the inside, as a result of decisions made by the individual.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
a list of “Ps”: Products, Programs, Policies, Processes, Procedures, Pricing, and People.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
How much better things would be if we all tried to mold and shape our own thoughts and actions rather than those of others.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
The easiest thing to spot is gaps of integrity in others:
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
The definition of integrity is this: Being what I say I am by acting in accordance with my words.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Does what we say about our organization while we’re at work match what we say at home?
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Believe or leave.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
if your organization is no longer a vehicle to help you reach your life goals, why stay?
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
“What can we do?” The problem is, “we” don’t change.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Personal accountability isn’t about hiding behind the team and making excuses. And it certainly is not about changing others. It’s about making a difference by changing ourselves.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
the Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know—it’s me!”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
no public figure is a role model for our kids. That’s our job—yours and mine.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Modeling is the most powerful of all teachers.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
“How can I set a better example?” Who’s watching you?
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
To make a QBQ action-focused, we add verbs such as “do,” “make,” “achieve,” and “build” to questions that start with “What” or “How” and contain an “I.”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
The practice of personal accountability: We discipline our thoughts. We ask better questions. We take action.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Action, even when it leads to mistakes, brings learning and growth. Inaction brings stagnation and atrophy.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Action leads us toward solutions. Inaction does nothing and holds us in the past. • Action requires courage. Inaction often indicates fear. • Action builds confidence; inaction, doubt.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
“It’s better to be one who is told to wait than one who waits to be told.”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Leadership, more than anything else, is about the way we think. It’s a moment-to-moment disciplining of our thoughts. It’s about practicing personal accountability and choosing to make a positive contribution, no matter what our role or “level.”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
“As a leader, I’m here to help you reach your goals.”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
For most of us, defining boundaries—where my accountability ends and another’s begins—is a lifelong process.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Management IQs: “Why doesn’t the younger generation want to work?” “When will we find good people?” “Why aren’t they motivated?” “Who made the mistake?” “Why can’t people come in on time?” “When will they get engaged?” QBQs: “How can I be a more effective coach?” “What can I do to better understand each person I manage?” “How can I build a stronger team?”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Executive IQs: “Who dropped the ball?” “When are they going to catch the vision?” “Who’s going to care as much as I do?” “When will the market turn around?” QBQs: “How can I be a better leader?” “What can I do to show I care?” “How can I communicate more effectively?”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
The spirit of the QBQ is personal accountability: • No more victim thinking, complaining, procrastinating, or blaming. • I can only change me. • Take action!
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
it’s possible to construct a question that follows the letter of the QBQ but conflicts with the spirit. Consider these: “What can I do to make you change?” “How can I avoid responsibility in this matter?” “What action can I take right now to do the wrong thing?” Or Michael’s favorite, when he was about twelve, “Who can I blame today?”
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
If a question conflicts with the spirit of the QBQ, it isn’t a QBQ.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
It’s not about asking better questions of our coworkers, customers, or family. It’s about asking better questions of ourselves.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Wisdom: what we learn after we know it all.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Learning equals change. If we haven’t changed we haven’t learned.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Repetition is the motor of learning. What’s that again? Repetition is the motor of learning. I beg your pardon? Repetition is … OK, I get it!
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
If our focus is whining and complaining instead of moving forward, pointing fingers rather than solving the problem, or putting action off and doing nothing to contribute, that’s a problem!
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
blame solves no problems.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
Nothing destroys a team faster than blame, procrastination, victim thinking, and complaining.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
a person’s thoughts and behaviors are always a result of the choices they make.
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by @QBQJohn Miller
