Jus' the Tip by Ali-Asad: September 2008

by Ali-Asad

The questions we mentally ask ourselves determine how we act. Our actions are performed based on the answers to questions we ask ourselves. Therefore, the questions we ask ourselves are the foundation and source of all our actions. So, if we could potentially change our actions by changing the questions we ask ourselves when trying to determine a course of action. These questions are the subject of the book QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability in Work and in Life by John G. Miller. Here, Miller identifies the common question words people use on themselves before acting. They are: why, who, when, what and how. Miller shows that 3 of these question words are inherently useless - why, who and when.

Who? The 'who' questions seeks to fix the blame rather than the problem. e.g. who is responsible for getting this done? These type of questions deflect your own accountability by pinning the blame on someone else just by asking 'why'. Most why questions are useless because they do not pass the 'so what' test. Think about any answer you get from a 'why' question. and then ask: so what? e.g. who didn't order the food? I didn't. OK - so what? If the answer to the 'so what' question does not point you towards a direct course of action, the questions itself was useless. get it?

Why? The 'why' question seeks to look back into the past rather than towards the future. e.g. why didn't that system work? These type of questions judge past actions without any eye on the future - the system didn't work because we didn't test it enough. OK. so what?

When? The when question aids in procrastination. e.g. when will that report get done? These type of questions do not allow you to take the initiative, and so force you to depend on others or wait on others. The report will get done in an hour. OK. so what?

These 3 (bad) questions can be transformed into (good) questions: How and What.

Bad: who should fix this problem?
Good: How can I help fix this problem? or What can I do to fix this problem.

Bad: why is the computer not working?
Good: How can I get the computer working? or What can I do to get my computer working asap.

Bad: When will the article get done?
Good: What can I do while the article is being finished? or How can I help get the article done.

These good how and what questions point you towards a direct course of actions, and foster a productive, problem-solving mentality. But who, where, when questions only cause inaction and destructive thinking. For some people, asking these (good) questions may come naturally...we good. but you would do well to uderstand what how your thinking inspires productive action. For others, asking the (bad) questions may be a force of habit...no worries. Once you understand why those questions are so destructive, they'll be easy to identify and block out. But it'll take time, discipline and a resolution on your part. But that's what personal development is all about.

And that's jus' the tip.