The unusual question Steve Jobs began every meeting with

Steve Jobs' former mentor Bill Campbell has offered up some insight into life with the Apple CEO by revealing the unusual question he began every meeting with.

It's not unusual to go through periods of worry or stress where something's eating away at us, and it can affect both our personal and professional lives.

These lingering feelings can seep into our relationships, goals and overall, our mental health, but Apple CEO Jobs was a mastermind at keeping his employees focused and more present.

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Being more present means you're less likely to make mistakes and focus on tasks with a clearer mind.

Thanks to Jobs' mentor, Campbell, we're able to learn from the former Apple CEO's tactics for being more productive and focused.

Job's approach was simple, yet effective. According to Campbell, before starting a meeting Jobs would ask his team: 'Is there anything on your mind?'

By opening up this door, it created an opportunity for his team to share what was bothering them, getting it out in the open and dealt with - rather than letting it linger during the meeting.

Now, as simple as the question is, it did require a few things from the rest of the staff.

The first is willing to be open and vulnerable. This can be tricky as society has encouraged us to keep our personal lives out of the office.

But, by opening up with your team and getting to know one another, you can create connections, mutual understanding, and healthier work relationships.

It is a two-way street, but when it works, teams are more present as their minds are not distracted by other worries.

According to Campbell, with things out in the open, there's more room for focus, participation, and success.

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Secondly, build trust in the workplace.

Campbell emphasised that trust leads to addressing issues with a problem-solving mindset, rather than taking things personally. Trust is earned through genuine conversation and listening - people love when they're listened to.

This could be something as simple as remembering what someone did on the weekend and asking them about it. And they'll most likely do the same!

Showing interest and listening to others forms a deeper level of connection. This two-way form of communication allows for increased productivity in the workplace.

Finally, set aside time for venting and problem-solving.

No one wants to come to work feeling invalidated. People want to feel heard and know they have a seat at the table.

Not only that, when people have problems, it's sometimes not just being listened to but asking for potential solutions.

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Jobs set aside a time in the workday for employees to vent, and another for solution-thinking. By doing so, there's a separate time for creativity where a team can bring fresh ideas to a problem. Bringing problems to people that don't have a personal connection to the issue allows for unbiased, rational solutions.

Creating an open work environment where people can share their issues, seek innovative solutions, and build trust with managers, people feel validated. And overall, the focus and productivity of the workplace goes up.

Try asking this questions to your fellow colleagues or managers and see the doors you can open in the workplace. If it can work for a top dog such as Apple, it might just do the same for you!