Md Consulting

I have recently read a book which is not recent but the concept is great and simple and can help you to practice personal accountability at work and life.

This book is QBQ (the question behind the question) from John G. Miller.

QBQ is a tool that helps individuals practice personal accountability by asking better questions. The idea that we are accountable for our own choices and are free to make better ones is fundamental to the QBQ. Miller writes that “Sometimes people think they have no choice.

John G. Miller’s handbook aims to help eliminate blame, complaining, and procrastination and addresses what he feels is a major issue: the lack of personal accountability.

You will find below three simple guidelines for creating a QBQ and ask the right questions.

1.    Begin with “What” or “How” (not “Why,” “When,” or Who”).

When we ask “When,” for example, we’re really saying we have no choice but to wait and put off action until another time. Questions that start with “When” lead to procrastination. When we ask “Who” we deflect to someone else and take the responsibility off of ourselves. We’re looking for someone else to blame.

2.    Contain an “I” (not “they,” “them,” “we” or “you”).

Personal accountability is about each of us holding ourselves accountable for our own thinking and behaviors and the results they produce. There’s not a chance we’ll reach our full potential until we stop blaming each other and start practicing personal accountability.

3.    Focus on action.

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.” You end up with questions like these: 

“What can I do to help you do your job better?” 

“What can I do to make a difference?” 

“How can I support the team?” 

“How can I help move this forward?” 

“How can I provide value to you?”

“How can I improve the situation?” 

“How can I better understand you?”

Taking action may seem risky, but doing nothingis a bigger risk! Even though there are risks involved in taking action, the alternative, inaction, is almost never the better choice.

Miller writes that: 

• Action, even when it leads to mistakes, brings learning and growth. Inaction brings stagnation and atrophy.
• Action leads us toward solutions. Inaction at best does nothing and holds us in the past.
• Action requires courage. Inaction often indicates fear.
• Action builds confidence; inaction, doubt.

In summary, QBQ is the practice of personal accountability: We discipline our thoughts. We ask better questions. We take action.