Table Of Content17156_00_i-x_r10kr.qxd 3/14/06 9:13 AM Page i
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FLIPPING
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THE 5
FL IPPING 6
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SWITCH
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THE
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UNLEASH THE POWER OF 10
El iminate Blame, Compla in ing, PSERSOWNAL ACICTOUNCTABIHLITY 11
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USING THE QBQ!
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FLIPPING
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THE
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FL IPPING 7
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SWITCH
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THE
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U NLEASH THE POWER OF
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P S ERSOWNAL AICCTOUNCTABHILITY
El iminate Blame, Compla in ing, UNLEASH THE POWER OF 15
™ 16
U S ING THE QBQ!
PERSONAL ACCO UNTABILITY 17
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USING THE QBQ! 19
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JOHN G. MILLER
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G . P . P u t n a m ' s S o n s N e w Y o r k
Final Pages
G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS
Publishers Since 1838
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA • Penguin
Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a
division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) • Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R
0RL, England • Penguin Ireland, 25 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of
Penguin Books Ltd) • Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell,
Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd) • Penguin Books
India Pvt Ltd, 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi–110 017, India • Penguin
Group (NZ), Cnr Airborne and Rosedale Roads, Albany, Auckland 1310,
New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd) • Penguin
Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank,
Johannesburg 2196, South Africa
Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
Copyright © 2006 by QBQ, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned,
or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do
not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation
of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
Published simultaneously in Canada
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Miller, John G., date.
Flipping the switch—unleash the power of personal accountability
using the QBQ! / John G. Miller.
p. cm.
A sequel to QBQ : the question behind the question (2001).
MSR ISBN 0 7865 6970 0
AEB ISBN 0 7865 6971 9
1. Choice (Psychology). 2. Decision making. 3. Problem solving.
4. Responsibility. I. Title.
BF611.M55 2005 2004060248
153.8'3—dc22
While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers and
Internet addresses at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author
assumes any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after publication.
Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any
responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Making or distributing electronic copies of this book constitutes copyright infringement
and could subject the infringer to criminal and civil liability.
www.us.penguingroup.com
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Acknowledgments
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As we at QBQ, Inc., continue in our work to eliminate 5
blame, complaining, and procrastination, we know we 6
can never do it alone. We need you—our readers. I am 7
continually amazed at the number of you who believe in
8
personal accountability and know the world is a better
9
place when each of us practices it. So heartfelt thanks go
10
first to you for believing in QBQ!™
11
In addition, I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to
12
those in my life who have made the difference for me:
13
David Levin, my writing partner, loyal buddy, and coach, 14
who seems absolutely bent on finding ways to help me 15
help others. I’d be nowhere without him.
16
Barry Neville, my literary agent. He knew, before all oth- 17
ers, that the publishing world would be hungry to put the 18
message of personal accountability into print. And he was 19
right. In fact, he’s right most of the time.
20
John Duff, a kind and gentle man at G. P. Putnam’s Sons. 21
His belief and friendship caused this “free spirit” and 22
entrepreneurial author to become part of a larger team.
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Thanks to him, we can now reach the world.
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• A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S •
1 Husband-and-wife public relations team Jane Rohman
2 and John Bianco. There is no way I can begin to measure
their value. All they do is work hard, think creatively, and
3
care. Not a bad combination for success.
4
5 Molly Hamaker, our writing expert. Her coaching and
guidance—and editing—as we created this book drove us
6
toward excellence.
7
8 Jim Strutton, who brought a high-energy twenty-seven-
9 year-old with no sales or teaching experience into the
training-and-development business. It was Jim who first
10
took a chance on me.
11
12 My dad, Coach Miller to some and Pastor Jimmy to others.
13 He seems to make it into every book we write. Though we
lost him in 2002 at eighty, his impact remains—forever.
14
15 The children: Kristin, Tara, Michael, Molly, Charlene,
16 Jazzy, and Tasha. A dad could not be more proud of his
17 children than I am of the Sensational Seven. Thanks, guys,
for making sure Dad’s books are “face out” at every store
18
you visit—and for being you.
19
20 And, most important, my wife since 1980—Karen. I asked
her to go to the movies when disco was all the rage and
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we were only teens. It still is the best question I have ever
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asked. Thanks for saying “Yes!”
23S
24R Karen, you will forever be my best friend.
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1
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Contents
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1. The QBQ! Advantage Principles 1 8
2. QBQ! The Question Behind the Question 6 9
10
11
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A D V A N TA G E P R I N C I P L E O N E • Learning
13
3. A Picture of Learning 15 14
4. Garbage Thinking: The Roadblocks 15
to Learning 18 16
5. QBQ! Learning Equals Change 30 17
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A D V A N TA G E P R I N C I P L E T W O • Ownership 20
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6. Ownership: Solve the Problem! 37 22
7. The Blame Game: The Opposite S23
of Ownership 42 R24
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• C O N T E N T S •
1 8. A Study in Blame: E-Mail Wars 47
2 9. No Excuses 49
3 10. The Ultimate Excuse: It’s Not My Job 51
4
11. Owning Safety 54
5
12. Taking Ownership Too Far 57
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A D V A N TA G E P R I N C I P L E T H R E E • Creativity
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10 13. QBQ! Creativity: Succeeding
11 with What We Have 61
12 14. A Creative Shift in Thinking 65
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A D V A N TA G E P R I N C I P L E F O U R • Service
16
17 15. QBQ! Service: Doing for Others What
18 We Don’t Have to Do 71
19
16. Service and Humility 76
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17. Organizations Don’t Serve—People Do 81
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18. Service: It’s the Right Thing to Do 84
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19. A Legacy of Service 87
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• C O N T E N T S •
A D V A N TA G E P R I N C I P L E F I V E • Trust 1
2
20. QBQ! Trust: It’s Up to Me 95 3
21. Trust Builders 99 4
22. Trust Takes Time 111 5
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L I V I N G T H E A D V A N TA G E P R I N C I P L E S
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23. Living Like Larry 117 10
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Appendix: Putting the Advantage 12
Principles into Action 123 13
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• C H A P T E R O N E •
1
2
The QBQ! Advantage Principles
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4
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I’ve seen firsthand the difference personal accountability 8
can make. I recently had my first year-end evaluation from 9
my new boss. In our organization—a large financial and 10
insurance firm—the highest rating anyone can achieve on 11
their performance review is an “Exceeds.” My boss began 12
the meeting by saying he had not awarded an “Exceeds” to 13
anyone in fifteen years! “But your performance has been 14
stellar and I’m giving you an ‘Exceeds’ rating for the 15
year. I wish I had a dozen people just like you!” 16
In addition, his written comments said, “Consistently 17
stays focused on the problem and how to make things bet- 18
ter. Rarely criticizes others’ performance, but instead works 19
hard to improve communication within the department, 20
understanding of the situation, and personal skills.” 21
I honestly didn’t know what to say, but that’s when I 22
realized how much QBQ! had helped me. I had read it just S23
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MASTER
