Do you ever find yourself asking questions like "Why do we have to go through all this change?" or "Who dropped the ball?" or "When will they get it right?" If so, you might be falling into the trap of negative and ineffective questioning that leads to blame, complaining, and procrastination.

In his book QBQ! The Question Behind the Question, John G. Miller argues that these kinds of questions are not only unhelpful, but also harmful for our personal and professional growth. They reflect a lack of personal accountability, which is the ability to take ownership of our actions, problems, and feelings instead of pointing fingers at others.

Miller proposes a simple but powerful method to practice personal accountability: ask better questions. Specifically, he suggests asking what he calls QBQs: questions behind the question. These are questions that begin with "What" or "How", contain an "I", and focus on action. For example:
- Instead of asking "Why do we have to go through all this change?", ask "What can I do to adapt to the change?"
- Instead of asking "Who dropped the ball?", ask "How can I help solve the problem?"
- Instead of asking "When will they get it right?", ask "What can I do to improve the situation?"

By asking QBQs, we shift our mindset from victimhood to empowerment. We stop blaming others for our circumstances and start taking responsibility for our own outcomes. We stop complaining about what we cannot control and start focusing on what we can influence. We stop procrastinating on what we should do and start taking action on what we can do.

QBQs are not only beneficial for ourselves, but also for our relationships with others. By asking QBQs, we show respect for others' choices and abilities. We avoid judging or criticizing others for their mistakes or shortcomings. We offer help and support instead of finding fault or making excuses.

QBQs are also essential for creating a culture of accountability in our organizations. By asking QBQs, we model the behavior we want to see in others. We encourage teamwork and collaboration instead of silos and competition. We foster innovation and improvement instead of stagnation and mediocrity.

QBQ! is a short but impactful book that offers practical tools and examples for applying personal accountability in every aspect of life. It challenges us to ask ourselves better questions that lead to better results.

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Buy it here: QBQ