Packed into 115 pages (and 39 chapters…so you know the chapters are short) is a wealth of knowledge in this little book. More importantly, QBQ! makes you think. Not a little, but a ton. The core idea behind this book is that you need to dig deeper into things that are before you to understand the question behind the question. That might explain why that’s the subtitle, eh?

I’m not exactly sure why, but the first chapter’s story about a simple request for a Diet Coke at a very busy restaurant in Minneapolis has stuck with me since my first read of the book in 2001. I was on one of my typical jaunts into productivity books, and somehow happened upon QBQ! I was struggling a little bit with my own personal accountability and the introduction grabbed me. Yeah, I’m one of those people who actually reads the Introduction and Acknowledgements, so if you’re an author who’s reading this…keep putting them in. At least one person is reading them!

Anyway, the book opened with an introduction that grabbed me and practically forced to to start reading. Then the first chapter talked about a rockstar waiter who satisfied a customer (the author) without a second thought. He just did the right thing and made a huge impression. Enough to get an entire chapter written about him. And enough to burrow into my brain and guide me on my quest for customer-service for the past 15 years!

There are so many points to be learned, ideas to reconsider, and Incorrect Questions to banish, that they’d take me pages upon pages to recount. Suffice it to say that I got something out of every one of the 39 chapters. Things that I use on a daily basis. And not just for my work-life. For my family life. In fact, probably more at home than while working.

My kids can attest to the fact that I’ll often respond to a text from them that starts “whatcha doing?” or “are you busy?” or “gotta sec?” with a simple reply of “QBQ”. While that doesn’t do the book justice…it’s a whole lot more than just that three-letter text…it has allowed us to start using a lexicon that makes us vastly better to communicate.

When I re-read (for probably the 20th time) this little book to kick of 2015, I realized how many of the concepts are ingrained in everything that I do. Things that I don’t think about anymore, they’re just part of my approach. To everything.

Things like the message from Chapter 17, where John illuminates the fact that “It’s not about ‘us’ versus ‘them’…The better question is, What can I do right now to make a difference”. Thoughts like “Stress is a choice” (Chapter 6). Not rocket science, by any means…but a guidepost that I reflect on daily. When I realized that stress is my choice, then I’m able to figure out how to make different choices and take a detour around that stress.

This book even contains deep, yet simple messages that echo for weeks, months, or in my case…years after reading. Things like “I can only change me” (the subject of Chapter 21). John asked a simple question in that chapter that really hit close to home (in this case, literally home since I thought about my kids). The question? “Have you tried to ‘fix’ anybody lately?”. I had to look in the mirror and answer “yes”, I’ve tried to “fix” my kids. Somewhat to my regret, I keep having to answer “yes” to that question regarding my kids…but I’m getting better. I guess I ought to be, I’ve been asking that question of myself for the past 15 years on an almost daily basis.

You see, this book isn’t about quick fixes. It’s not the kind of book that you read, immediately implement everything, and life gets all rosy. Unicorns don’t start dancing on rainbows in your backyard after you read this book. The reality is, it’s the kind of book that makes you ask tough questions of yourself. The kind of questions that you ask, then decide you don’t want to answer. But the kind of questions that keep nagging you. Irritating you. Rubbing you wrong, so that you have to address them.

Reading QBQ! is kind of like sitting in the living room with John, with him just spouting off obvious statements. But the kind of obvious stuff that you’ve been avoiding. The kid of things that you don’t want to answer, but the ones you know you have to answer.

If you’re looking for some light reading, that won’t make you think…stay away from this book. Stay far away! But if you’re looking to get better at everything you do at life…this is a great book. I can’t recommend it highly enough!