Sears has a problem: A completely non-consumer-friendly “appliance repair” system.
Systems aren’t perfect—we all know that. In the QBQ! book, we teach this idea:
Don’t ask the lousy question, “When are we going to get better systems?”
Instead, ask “The Question Behind the Question” (QBQ), “What can I do to succeed with the systems I have?”
Now, back to Sears …
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Fine. I’ll admit it here publicly:
When I walk 3+ miles each day, I often take Kelly Clarkson along. I’ve aways enjoyed her energetic and creatively written 2004 album “Breakaway.”
And every time I hear her belt out the song “I Hate Myself For Losing You,” I wonder, What would our world look like if we all lived like that?
Here are her challenging, accountability-themed words that could’ve come straight from the QBQ! book on PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY …
Have you witnessed a “Random Act of QBQ!” recently? My brother-in-law, Tom, ran across this one. Enjoy!
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John, I have a QBQ! story for you!
While at a conference in Chicago, my laptop mouse died. I wasn’t sure if it was broken or just needed a new battery.
So I went to the Candlewood Suites store in the lobby, but they didn’t have any “mice” or the battery I needed.
At the front desk, I asked Julie if they possibly had a spare mouse that another guest had left behind. She looked in their little “lost and found” cardboard box, but there weren’t any.
I thanked Julie and headed out to the conference center next door.
Continue ReadingIf you grew up in snow country like I did, you were told that when driving on snow and ice, never turn away from the skid, run from the skid, or ignore the skid. Rather, we were taught to confront a skid aggressively with swift action.
If your vehicle’s back-end is skidding in the snow to the right, turn the steering wheel hard to the right. If it slides to the left, turn hard left.
When we confront the skid or slide directly like this, we kill our vehicle’s momentum and win back control.
Otherwise, we end up in the ditch.
This safe driving maneuver is an apt picture for those frustrated by what might be seen as a slide in our world’s values.
Possibly, each of us could directly confront the “skid” we see taking place—not by lecturing, shaming and criticizing others—but through our own actions.
Our own choices.
In other words, through personal accountability …
Continue ReadingNew Facebook page here! Give it a “Like” and Be Outstanding!
Got clarity?
If you don’t use those little round “blind spot” mirrors on your vehicle’s side mirrors, you should. They work. (see photo)
It struck me as I added them to a new Miller car, that in an instant I did what accountable people do in life:
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See that face? It’s not just the face of a Millennial, it’s the face of our future.
And trust me, twentysomething, Alex, is not being sung about in this parody of Millennials!
Alex and I had a LinkedIn (Link with me here) chat the other day, and at least three messages came from it:
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Brand new Facebook page. Join us and Be Outstanding! The Outstanding! book explores what it means for an organization to be outstanding. But what exactly makes a co-worker outstanding? People described as “outstanding” by on-the-job colleagues have many attributes. After we provide 5 below, please add to our list! 1. HUMBLE: Self-deprecating humor, takes no credit…
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Jimmy Miller (1921-2002)—who lived all of his 80 years in the rolling hills of Upstate NY—was a teacher.
The Cornell wrestling coach and pastor in our home, the man with the Big Smile people still talk about today, was always “preaching”—in a good way.
Through stories, parables, analogies, and metaphors, he imparted wisdom—constantly.
Little did I know that his teachings would become part of every book written by his youngest.
QBQ! Coach Jimmy’s metaphor about “being good enough to beat the ref” has helped many understand both the danger —and the “wrongness”—of blaming what we can’t control.
Flipping the Switch Here he pops up twice. One time by sharing the truth that driving is a NO EXCUSES endeavor—just like life—and another when he went the extra mile for this 17-year-old just days after “Mom” died so unexpectedly at 51.
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Would you dump everything, including the kitchen sink (look at the picture carefully), into the world? Probably not.
Yet, without knowing it, many of us do litter by dumping verbal garbage into the minds of co-workers, friends, and family.
In early 1986, after five years with Cargill Inc., I was recruited by a small, unknown training company to sell video-based management development programs to executives. When I announced I’d be leaving Cargill to office from my house, negative garbage was dumped into my mind:
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Since we all love a good list, let’s get right to it! Leaders are …
ACCOUNTABLE
Funny thing about leaders and living accountably—they don’t talk about it, they do it. Just as the truly humble don’t boast about how self-effacing they are, leaders don’t run around proclaiming that they take total ownership for their actions, results, and life. They simply live life sans blame, whining, victim and entitlement thinking, being offended all the time, or making excuses. Now that is leadership!
Have you achieved accountable living?
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