Critical Book Review - QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by John G Miller

Questions are indeed powerful tools for personal and professional discovery. Unfortunately, far too many people truly do not understand the real questions to ask themselves.

In this book, QBQ! The Question Behind the Question What to Really Ask Yourself, Practicing Personal Accountability in Business and in Life, John G. Miller through the use of personal observations showed the power of questions and their answers. Beyond being an easy read and quick one as well (less than 120 pages in bigger print), Miller provided in 39 short chapters solutions in how to eliminate blame, complaining and procrastination

In physics, Newton’s Third Law of Motion was every action has a reaction equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. This has been rendered down for every action there is an equal and opposite one. I was reminded of this when I read this book. Each question has an equal and opposite question behind it.

To better understand the power behind QBQ, Miller began with a story about a food server who provided a diet Coke to the author even though the restaurant only sold Pepsi. The young man gave his manager a dollar to go to the convenience store next door to purchase the Coke. Now this person could have left the client with this unmeet need and might have even complained about those picky customers who do not like Pepsi. Yet he chose to be positive and proactive by meeting the customer’s expressed desire for a diet Coke. How unexpectedly wonderful was that?

The author stated the essence of QBQ is all about making better choices through better questions. Just think how that could affect your life? Would you have less resistance by your children to customers? Would you actually have more of your desired results? Imagine the possibilities?

In the next chapter Making Better Choices, one his statements I have shared with my family and clients for years is “no decision is a decision.” We are confronted with choices every day. Indecision or what some call procrastination is a decision not to take action, to make a choice.

The Why questions (Chapter Four) of life lead to the personal pity party such as Why me, Why now? Instead of asking why questions, ask What or How questions. These are further explained in the next several chapters.

Then Miller looked at the When questions that are also detrimental to personal accountability. Again, in the follow-up chapter this is quickly described in greater detail specific to procrastination.

I personally enjoyed Chapter 24 where the author encouraged people to leave organizations they no longer believe in. Chapter 25 looked at the power of one because change begins with I or me and not with we.

This, in my opinion, should be in everyone’s personal library and reread on a regular basis. And might even be a great book to share with employees.

Critical Book Review - QBQ! The Question Behind the Question by John G Miller