“Unlocking Genius: The Powerful Daily Question Steve Jobs Posed to Transform Apple’s Success”

Steve Jobs—now there’s a name that still sends ripples through the tech industry. Even years after his passing, his fingerprints are all over Apple, the company he helped elevate to global dominance. I mean, who doesn’t have an iPhone, right? But Jobs was not just after sleek gadgets; he had this knack for spotting talent and his unconventional ways still raise eyebrows. Ever heard of the ‘beer method’? Yep, Jobs took potential hires out for a casual drink to waste away the tension—and maybe to get a real sense of who they were. In fact, one of his trademark questions to his design sidekick Jony Ive was: “How many times did you say no today?” It’s a unique insight into a man who believed that saying no could sharpen focus and keep the unimportant at bay. With such fascinating quirks, he became synonymous with innovation and excellence, steering Apple toward heights that many can only dream of. Curious about how a simple beer can lead to monumental tech achievements? Well, buckle up, because the journey of Jobs and his out-of-the-box thinking is just getting started! LEARN MORE

Steve Jobs is still one of the most iconic figures in the technology industry, after he helped Apple climb to the top of the tree.

The American tech company is among the most popular brands in the world, and it shows, as almost everyone you know has an iPhone.

Jobs is known for his unorthodox interview methods as well, with the ‘beer method’ one of the tasks under his sleeve when he looked to hire a new employee.

But there were other quirks about the former CEO of Apple, who passed away in October 2011.

Apple’s senior vice president of industrial design and chief design officer at the time, Jony Ive, revealed that there was one question that Jobs would ask him every day.

He would ask: “How many times did you say no today?”

This is because he believed that saying no would ‘create focus’, and it follows the same thinking of other successful men of the time.

American investor Warren Buffett once compared ‘successful’ people to ‘really successful’ people with the quote: “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”

Jobs thought that saying no allowed you to be serious and productive, and above all, increase output.

The idea of getting a lot done without getting the one or two most important tasks done would worry Jobs, as he believed that you should finish what you start before anything else.

It’s all unorthodox to say the least, but geniuses often think differently to the majority – this is the man that brought us the iPhone, after all.

He would ensure that his products would be the best in the industry too, by hiring the best.

He would ask them the same question for a very good reason (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

As aforementioned, Jobs would take prospective employees out during an interview in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure.

He would take them for a walk and a beer to have a more relaxed conversation, loosening them up a bit, and asking open-ended questions such as ‘When was the last time you accomplished something?’ to a simple, ‘What did you do last summer?’

While there were no right or wrong answers, Jobs would better understand candidates and their way of thinking.

In the past, he said: “I found that when you get enough A-players together, when you go through the incredible job of finding these A-players, they really like working with each other.

“Because they’ve never had the chance to do it before.”

If you’re wondering whether the beer test works, have a look at how Apple have done in the last 10-15 years.