In America and around the world, our current culture tends to pass the buck or deny responsibility for the consequences of our actions. Homeowners are walking away from mortgages they could not afford from the start, our education system can’t keep up with global competition but the system goes unchanged, and legislature spends more time pointing the finger at one another then upholding American freedoms. This is nothing more than a lack of personal accountability; placing blame on others or a “wait and see” strategy instead of taking action and solving a problem.

In the business world lack of personal accountability is also abundant and is characterized by victim thinking, procrastination, and blame. If any of the questions below pop up at your workplace, personal accountability is lacking.

Victim Thinking:

  • Why do we have to go through all this change?”
  • “Why can’t we find good people?”

Procrastination:

  • “When will we get better systems?”
  • “When will someone solve the problem?”

Blame:

  • “Who dropped the ball?”
  • “Whose idea was this anyway?”

When questions like this started to become the norm at Crystal D I knew I had to take action. The solution I found made a big difference to our company and in the personal lives’ of some of our employees. It is called QBQ!

The Solution: What is QBQ!?

Almost one year ago we launched the employee training program called QBQ! which stands for The Question Behind the Question.

The QBQ! program helps people see the areas at work (and at home) where they lack personal accountability. It shows them how to take personal responsibility in new ways so that they can take control of their life and their attitude.

QBQ! gives the “how to” of personal accountability by helping people ask The Question Behind the Question! Instead of asking questions that address “why” something happened or “when” things will change, people ask “what” and “how” they can contribute to a solution. Here are a few examples:

  • “What can I do to contribute?”
  • “How can I contribute?”
  • “How can I succeed with the tools I have?”

Approaching a situation, person, or company culture with a QBQ! mindset gives employees, managers, and c-suite executives a chance to eliminate blame, victim thinking, complaining, and procrastination in their organization and their life! The people who practice QBQ! experience great personal freedom as they live with a greater sense of control and contribution.

At Cystal D we integrated the QBQ! idea into our current culture using the words “Step Up” to encompass personal accountability and going above or beyond at work. We talk about “Step Up Moments” and are free to ask questions of one another to address procrastination, blame, or victim thinking, among other issues. This concept has made a big impact on myself and the Crystal D staff.

I will share more about QBQ!, and its impact on our company in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

You can learn more about the QBQ! philosophy from author and originator John Miller or by visiting QBQ.com.