By Tammy Young
Professional MacGyver
When I introduce myself, I include three things:
- My Name
- “I’m a geek.”
- “I’m a Professional MacGyver.”
The second one typically gets laughter and enthusiastic cheers from the geeks in the room, but the last one inevitably provokes conversation. It’s also how I survived two rounds of layoffs.
Career Advice: How to Become Indispensable to Your Boss
What’s a Professional MacGyver?
MacGyver was the ultimate resourceful troubleshooter. Armed with a Swiss Army knife and his faithful roll of duct tape, he took whatever was on hand and created exactly what was needed to save the day.
A Professional MacGyver creatively solves problems using the resources, people, and skills at hand. Like MacGyver, success comes from accurately sizing up both the problem and the tools truly needed to develop an effective solution. MacGyvering is about figuring things out. Getting things done when, you honestly don’t have the resources. It’s about stretching yourself and your capabilities to become more than you are and do more than anyone else thinks you can (until you’ve successfully convinced them otherwise).
The most important trait of a Professional MacGyver? Never letting “I don’t know” or “I don’t have” stand in the way. If you don’t have it, find it, make it, replace it, or find a way around it. If you don’t know something, you learn – online, a teacher or mentor, a book, a webinar, a conference, fiddling, or any other way you can imagine.
Career Advice for Becoming a Professional MacGyver
Becoming a Profesional MacGyver takes time and practice, but there are basic skills and habits you can implement now to start MacGyvering.
- Be willing to go beyond your job description. Take your “Other duties as assigned” seriously. It’s an opportunity for you to shine.
- Never stop learning. If you run into something you don’t know how to do, take advantage of it. Don’t limit your learning to work (or school). Find ways to exercise your professional chops in your personal life. Don’t lose your professional vs. personal life balance, but find areas of overlap and use those to hone your skills, explore new tools, and add to your areas of competence.
- Stay current on the happenings and trends in your area of expertise and your industry, but start learning about some related areas as well. Take advantage of the internet and especially tools like Google Reader. If you find a good resource online, subscribe to the RSS feed. You don’t have to read everything and you don’t have to read everyday, but having your best sources in the same place saves time and effort. Make folders, skim headlines, and keep a good hold on what’s happening that could directly impact you and your work. You’ll be surprised how immediately rewarding staying informed can be. Answer a few questions and you’ll quickly end up as the go-to person for the latest news. Warning: News will spread quickly.
- Be fearless. Don’t let uncertainty get in your way. Creating a sandbox outside of work lets you learn and fail in a place where you’re the only one who will know or judge you. As you conquer and explore new skills, you’ll be braver. Consistently volunteering to step in when a need arises will increase the confidence that your boss (and coworkers) will have in your ability to succeed. Think of yourself as the office utility player and others will begin to perceive you that way too.
- Remember it’s okay to fail. You don’t have to be able to do everything and you won’t be able to do everything. You will find areas where you’re able to quickly expand your skills and knowledge and areas where you just aren’t comfortable. The trick is knowing the difference. If you know you won’t be able to do something, be honest and admit that it’s not your cup of tea. If it’s just a case of discomfort, give it a try. When there’s no one who can fill the need, the worst case scenario is that you’ve done your best and there’s still no one who can do the work. The only loss is some time and effort.
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, it’s about the bottom line. The more flexible you are and the more hats you can slip on and off, the more valuable you are. Take advantage of that knowledge and do your best to expand your horizons. You don’t need to carry a utility knife and duct tape, but your willingness to take a risk and go beyond your job description goes a long way toward creating value for current and future employers.
Specializing in the development and management of social technologies and online community, Tammy Young is a Professional MacGyver. For 10 years, Tammy has been actively involved in online communities and products – developing, participating, moderating, growing, and managing. Her background in clinical psychology has grounded her experience and deep understanding of user and community dynamics. You can follow her on Twitter at @ymmat, email her at tammy@professionalmacgyver.com, visit her LinkedIn page, or visit her website for more information.
