Self-help books are my comfort food of non-fiction prose. Generally, I find them easy reads, tackle practical issues, and good for getting me fired up for a few days, occasionally leaving a nugget that will stay for a while. I’m only writing this review a week after I first read QBQ by John G. Miller, but I’m pretty certain this one is a keeper, which is a little surprising since this book is centered on the oft trod concept of “personal accountability”, without even trying to come up with some gimmicky counter-intuitive approach.
The genius in this book its a concise memorable formula for a good self-question: “Who/How” + “I” + “Action”. I follow the news, so I know things out there can be really complex, but for any issue that directly affects me day to day, I agree with author’s basic black and white premise that there are incorrect self-questions (that result in inaction) and good self-questions (that get me moving forward). This clarity of this dichotomy and the simplicity of the QBQ formula is perfect for what this book is trying to do – catalyze action among its readers.
Along with this basic clear formulation, there are two additional items which further recommend this book. The first is context – as America continues to lean further towards a service economy, this book will become increasingly relevant for those of us working in it. His examples highlight how excellence is accomplished in mundane interactions. Second, the book is succinct, and I mean that as a high compliment. I recently read another book that had a simple premise which was stretched out to three times its necessary length. Mr. Miller respects our time; his message is simple (though not easy) and he doesn’t wear out his welcome – this is a book you can give to a friend without hesitation.
In all, it’s certainly worthy of a 5-star review. While there are folks in the world who are truly enslaved in circumstances beyond their control, if you’ve got the wherewithal to be reading customer reviews on Amazon, you’re most likely not one of them. This book is highly recommended.