What’s your I.Q.? (No, not your Intelligence Quotient, Your Incorrect Question Quotient?)

Have you ever heard questions like these?  (I am sure you have never asked them yourself)

• Why do we have to go through all this change?
• When is somebody going to train me?
• Who dropped the ball?
• When is that department going to do its job right?
• Who’s going to solve the problem?
• When are they going to tell us what’s going on?

John Miller, author of QBQ calls these kinds of questions “I.Q.” questions.  No, not “Intelligent Quotient” questions but rather “Incorrect Questions.”    I.Q. questions are really “victim questions.”  You can ask I.Q. questions forever without ever causing anything to change.

John teaches us how to ask “Correct Questions” that is “QBQ–Question Behind the Question” type questions.  Let me explain:  When someone asks, “When is somebody going to train me?” the real issue behind their question is “Training.”  They could ask “When is somebody going to train me?” forever and still not ever get trained.  But when they ask the “Correct Question,” for example “What could I do to get trained?”, they are asking a question that they can do something about.  As they answer their own question they might realize that they:

• Could ask their Supervisor what training resources might be available.
• Could investigate what training might be available on the internet.
• Could invite an experienced co-worker to lunch to ask for their assistance.

The key is for all of us to learn how to ask “Correct Questions.”  John shares three simple guidelines for creating a QBQ:

1. Begin with “What” or “How” (not “Why,” “When,” or “Who”).
2. Contain an “I” (not “they,” “them,” “we,” or “you”).
3. Focus on action.

“What can I do?” for example follows the guidelines perfectly.  It begins with “What,” contains an “I,” and focuses on action!

You are no doubt already understanding how QBQ instantly moved to one of my top five most favorite Leadership books!  All “Leadership” really needs to start with “Self-Leadership” doesn’t it?

John says, “QBQ is an idea that you’ll want everyone to use…but you should try first!”

Oh—if you were to think, “I am sure that Bob always asks ‘Correct Questions’!”—well you would be wrong.  Earlier this year I had to laugh at myself—for several months I had been asking “Incorrect Questions” regarding a certain situation I was experiencing.  Then one day I really felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit as I sensed He was asking me what kinds of questions had I been asking?  A big smile quickly broke out on my face (I had been asking I.Q’s) and I immediately applied the three guidelines for asking a “QBQ” and with delight I quickly saw the way forward.

You will want to check out John Miller’s QBQ website:  http://www.qbq.com/