QBQ! The Question behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life

QBQ The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability in Work and in Life

This book has some interesting ideas, but in my mind fails to answer the most important question which is why is one worker doing the work of others and not getting credit? The author speaks of examples in which a worker helps out a customer because no one else is helping the customer. The worker is thereby practicing the author's idea of 'what can I do to help in this situation'. HOWEVER, they are not asking why the worker who was supposed to be helping the customer in the first place was not doing their job. It seems grossly unfair to the worker that ends up doing the other person's job. Why does the lazy worker get away with this? Why is the author promoting doing someone else's work. Maybe some people feel good about themselves when they help a customer who isn't getting attention from the worker who is supposed to be helping them, but I think most people would feel annoyed at the worker, irritated with management, and stressed out if the worker simply wasn't doing their job without a good reason. I think this book has a lot of problems, but that they are easily over-looked by the author's upbeat attitude of accomplishing everything.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Waste of time

I read this book in an hour and a half. I was not impressed. There was never a moment in the book or a writing that made me think about something it was saying. I feel that this is a book that maybe some corporate people would give to an employee who was upset they weren't getting help from other employees and just wanted to shut them up. There was no research done by the writer when he wrote the book due to there not being any references from other writings. It was simply written by opinion.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

An excellent book on personal accountability

This book makes one accountable for oneself. An easy read, and highly recommended for anyone who wants to change themselves and stop blaming others for their problems. Especially appropriate in the professional environment.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Do not waste your time or money.

This is one of the worst books I have ever read. This book suggest that if we just went around fixing all the problems we face but never address why or how these problems are arising in the first place we would all be much more satisfied at our job and in our personal life. I would not want to work for or have relationships with people who did not expect me and others to strive to do our best and where mature confrontation and problem solving was discouraged. The problem with today's society is the thought you should always be positive. Good work and the people who work hard should be praised and those who continue to not produce need to be reprimanded. Dead weight is and will always be dead weight no matter how postive your outlook is. I hope I live a long life but I will always regret the 60 minutes I lost by reading this.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

QBQ The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability in Work and in Life

This is a simple-minded book for the simple-minded manager. It is perhaps the most frustrating and definitely the worst book I've ever read. This book would receive an A+ from a communist, but in this capitalist society, it deserves an F. The notion that a worker should do someone else's job when that person is failing to do it themselves for reasons that are never told to us is ludicrous. This author is succeeding only by appealing to management in corporate America - management that wants a quick fix to unhappy employees within their company, but doesn't want to actually figure out the root of the problem with their company. Terrible ideas-- terrible book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Unimpressed

The questions in this book are elementary, and did not give me any new insights. I much prefer the optimal questions in Optimal Thinking.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A worthwile read.

I highly recommend this book looking to build a stronger team or fix a fragmented one. This is a fairly quick read at 115 pages.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A must read for any business person!

All leaders and employees must read!

A book for Professionals

The book was good, however, most of the books teachings can be easily learned through life experience and common sense. There were great stories behind Mr. Millers theories. However, the book was very thin, and there was little elaboration. This is a book for professionals, team leaders and businesswomen and businessmen alike.

a reviewer

Author John G. Miller admonishes people to quit whining! Miller advocates personal accountability, an almost novel concept in today's litigious world of finger pointing, excuse making and not-my-fault thinking. Instead of asking, 'Why is this happening to me?' he says to ask, 'What can I do to improve my situation?' Miller calls this the 'QBQ, the Question Behind the Question.' When you ask such questions you become less of a victim, and put yourself more in control, empowered to improve your life and contribute to the success of your organization. Miller entertains and explains by using examples and uplifting stories culled from his personal experience. His easy-to-grasp theory is fairly one-dimensional and in the banquet of self-help books, it is more of an appetizer than an entrée. Yet, if you want a quick bite of applicable self-improvement advice and don't mind a bit of a scolding, we recommend this tasty treat.

Simply Amazing! A Must Read

QBQ! by John Miller is simply amazing. This little book delivers in a BIG way! I don't have a lot of time to study so the quick read format was perfect for me. QBQ strips away all the excuses and reminds us again where it is the buck is supposed to stop. If you're looking for an instruction manaual for leaders, here it is. People don't need tricks, methods, myths or secrets...what they really need is a tool that helps them step up to the plate and be accountable for their own results. Now I know why Dave Ramsey recommends this to all his listeners......it works. Bravo for QBQ!

Absolutely the best on accountability!

QBQ! is perfect for anyone who wants to rid themselves and their firm of fingerpointing, whining, and procrastiantion. Wow, great stories and it truly teaches a method which takes it out of the 'self-help' genre and puts it into the practical tools category! Fun, light - but with a life changing message. 6 stars!!!

Personal Accountability at it's Best

This was by far the best book I ever read on Personal Accountability! Often books speak to the need of accountability, however, John Miller actually teaches one how to be accountable. I feel society influences us in many areas of life. One way is: it's okay to make a mistake as long as there is someone or something to blame. Mr. Miller eliminates blame by helping people ask better questions of themself. It also eliminates complaining and procrastination while building strong relationships. This book is good for both your professional and personal life. So powerful and only a one-hour read. I highly recommend QBQ!

simple but very good

Very simple but positive method to improving your outlook and approach to people which in turn will change their approach to you. A must for managers and boses.

A book for everyone who is important to you

I can summarize QBQ in 4 words¿it changed my life! I¿ve always been upbeat and resilient, but this book causes me to see even more what can be rather what cannot so I don¿t open my mouth before the positive picture is in my head. The concept of the asking yourself questions to get better answers¿¿The Question Behind the Question¿ (thus the title of the book) is deceptively simple, straight-forward and easy to use. QBQs move you toward better answers to the problems you face. When you start asking yourself ¿What can I do to make a difference in my corner of the world?¿ or ¿How can I help?¿ the answers provide insights not gotten when you simply sit and ponder problems. In the end, QBQ is not simply about personal accountability. It¿s about changing the way each of us view the world and changing how we communicate with others who are important in our lives. It¿s about finding out what others REALLY want and doing the little extra things that make such a big difference, whether we are dealing with our customers, coworkers or our family. The result¿for me, at least and for others whom I¿ve shared this little book with¿greater energy and more positive attitudes because of QBQ¿s positive problem-solving approach.

Quick, insightful must read

I happened upon this little gem strictly by accident, or was it divine intervention. QBQ is a straight-to-the-point, no-fluff and tremendously relevant book no matter who you are. While reading you think, 'Wow, it's really that simple to change my outlook and the way I go about my daily activities?' The reality of personable accountability hits home, and it hits home hard. John backs up his insights with examples that we can all relate to. It's not a magic pill or mysterious tonic. What QBQ is, is a set of guideline for living your life to the fullest based upon the conscious choices you make and asking better questions that focus on the ¿how and what I can do¿ and not the victimization questions that begin with ¿why, when and who.¿ The book is a quick read, but the changes are up to you to implement. John goes beyond the book by providing his readers with a website the supports the QBQ way. I've already seen positive changes in how I deal with family, friends and business associates. I just stared reading John's new book 'Flipping The Switch.' Look for my review on this one soon. Thanks, John! Ken.

Great book

These questions are excellent to explore your level of personal responsibility. You won't be let down. To optimize business and personal decisions, I recommend Optimal Thinking: How to Be Your Best Self.

Finally, Accountability!!

How refreshing to read a book that inspires people to take responsibility in their careers and personal lives!

Best book on accountability out there!

Don't be fooled by the book's deceptively simple proposition: QBQ! is a masterpiece of practical insight that will help you become more effective in your work and happier in your life. The author offers you a simple set of guidelines that really work to help bring a sense of personal accountability to your life. I hate to sound like an informercial, but after only a few days of using the approach laid out in QBQ, I was getting more done and getting more out of life--I stopped moping around and wondering when good things were going to start happening to me, and I started making them happen. The chapters are a nice mix of inspiring stories and devastatingly simple truths. The book will only take you an hour or so to read, but once you put it down you'll never look at your life the same way again. After I read it, I gave it to my wife, and she gave it to her colleagues. I think that one copy has made it all the way through her department by now! At our firm, we have bought hundreds of copies as we work to make personal accountability a core value within our organization.

not just for business

This book will not only help you in business but in life. Being a stay at home mother I still enjoyed this book. It helped me deal with my business dealings for the day without blaming others, complianing and procrastination. All great tools to run a household successfully. The book is an easy to read format you could even read a chapter a day in the morning almost like a work devotional. I highly recommend this as a gift for a recent graduate.