QBQ Book Study - Chapters 24 -31

Continuing the study of QBQ by John Miller, looking at chapters 24-31.

I did attend the discussion for this section.  The facilitator did a great job in summarizing the material and there was good interaction from the participants.  As I may have mentioned earlier, these sessions are being held "virtually" using web and phone conferencing with as many as 50-60 people in attendance at each session.  So far everyone I've spoken with has found the discussions helpful and this particular book a benefit to their lives.

This section starts with a couple of chapters on integrity (I'm going back to chapter 23 as well).  In keeping with the focus of the book the IQ (incorrect question) we too often ask is: "When will others walk their talk?"  and the QBQ would be:  "Am I walking my talk?"    Miller defines integrity as: "Being what I say I am by acting in accordance with my words."  This is a powerful concept and he follows this up in the next chapter with an in-your-face concept of "Believe or Leave."   By this he is pushing us to place our personal integrity at the top of our lives in practice as well as in theory.   It is a fact that whenever we live in conflict with our values we suffer in our own personal sense of self-worth, not to mention our productivity and dysfunctional relationships.

In chapter 26 he gives a twist to the serenity prayer: "God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know  . . its me!"  I like this and he clearly states we can't really change others so our only hope of finding peace and purpose comes when we stop trying to change those around us and focus on our own issues.  I know this to be true personally and have been working on this process for a number of years.  I'm also aware of the trap of postponing working on ME until things get better ( or I have more money, or more time, or better health, or move to a new location, or ......) because if I do postpone, I will always find an excuse not to start.

This is reinforced in what Miller says is the third guideline: "All QBQs focus on action."  We ask better questions and then we take action.

He finishes this section by talking about leadership.  I know many people who would say they are not leaders and sometimes when this subject is raised they completely check-out of the conversation.  But I think if we've learned anything from QBQ it is that we are at least the leader of OURSELVES.  Being a leader of ME means that I get to choose to ask Better Questions and take Action, regardless of what the rest of the world does.  This is empowering stuff!!