MacGyvering it... Do we do it enough?

Alright, confession time: I’ve never actually watched an entire episode of MacGyver. But, like so many of us, I somehow know enough about him to feel like I’ve binged the whole series

MacGyver could fix literally anything with a paperclip and some chewing gum. Need to defuse a bomb? No problem. Locked in a room with only a rubber band and a toothpick? Piece of cake. MacGyver didn’t just think outside the box — he took the box, broke it apart, and turned it into a grappling hook.

If you think I’m exaggerating, just check this out: https://youtu.be/XfCa3wn37mU

I mean… a radiator, a cheap coat hanger, plastic zip ties… His first thought is using the radiator to heat up the plastic? Talk about effective problem-solving and fast thinking!

The MacGyver Mindset in Innovation

What I love about the whole MacGyver mythology (a bit like Chuck Norris memes) isn’t the crazy stunts or how he always found some unlikely tool to save the day.

It’s his "winging it" attitude - no freaking out. He didn’t sit around waiting for the perfect tools, the ideal conditions, or someone to hand him a manual. He worked with what he had, and he figured it out along the way.

If that doesn’t scream innovation, I don’t know what does. At work, we often feel like we can’t start something unless we have all the resources perfectly lined up. Waiting for the right budget, the best software, the green light from ten different managers. But here’s the secret: you don’t need all that. Sometimes, you just need to channel your inner MacGyver and wing it.

“Only a fool is sure of anything, a wise man keeps on guessing.”
― MacGyver

It’s about creativity and resourcefulness — seeing possibilities in the everyday things around you. Maybe you don’t have the latest tool, but can you automate a process with something already in place? Or take a page from MacGyver and fix an inefficient workflow with what’s right in front of you?

Winging It ≠ Recklessness

Let’s be clear: MacGyver wasn’t reckless. He wasn’t jumping into danger for the sake of it. He was always observing, thinking, and adapting. That’s the balance you need to strike in innovation. Winging it doesn’t mean being careless; it means being nimble. When an opportunity presents itself, don’t be afraid to act with what you’ve got. Maybe your idea isn’t fully fleshed out yet, but you can start small, test the waters, and adapt as you go.

In a way, it’s like the classic MacGyver scene — no time, no fancy gadgets, but a whole lot of ingenuity. You work with what you’ve got, knowing that done is better than perfect.

The Real Lesson: Start Now

You may not have watched MacGyver (like me), but you know the essence: he didn't wait. He took action, and it paid off. Your work life is no different. You don’t need a perfect solution to start innovating. Use the tools you have now. Improve on them as you go. Build that dashboard, streamline that process, automate those tasks — even if it’s not perfect yet.

The point is: stop waiting for everything to be just right. You’ve already got what you need to get started. So, grab your metaphorical paperclip and go MacGyver that inefficiency out of existence.

That’s all very good… But show us an example?

Yeah, I get it. Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk!

I’ve got many examples of extreme resourcefulness and a tiny bit of stubbornness that makes it ideal for me to wing it when I need. Sometimes I find myself in situations where it’s either: I fix it myself or I have to wait until someone can do it. But if a Youtube guy can teach me, I’ll try!

The Problem: A leaking washing machine

Just three weeks ago, I had a leaking washing machine. Days before, I had noticed a tiny tear in the seal, but nothing that seemed to big to care… Until I put a load to wash and the machine had water underneath, a really tiny puddle.

Knowing how those things go, I turned the machine off and afterwards switched it to the program of centrifugation to avoid the clothes to be soaking wet.

The Solution: Tape to the rescue

First, considering the problem of the leak seemed to be that seal tear, I thought: I guess I’ll have to switch it the seal?

To check the seal’s integrity, I first checked online, and it said: take out the spring load (hindsight tip: don’t do it if you’re unsure) and the entire seal out. I analyzed it, and understood it was only that tear, which was next to the door, so the leak was not from inside but next to the door.

Soon after removing the spring, I understood that putting it back is veeeeery difficult without the proper tools. But nothing a determined, persistent woman cannot put back though.

Trick: Use a flat screwdriver to extend it, while you’re also using one of the left-hand finger to secure the other side in place. And then it’s a mix of being persistent until you get it where it should be. I hope to never have to do it again, but now I know how it goes.

Once it was put back, I still had a load to finish. And I trusted that maybe I had the solution?

With the willingness not to accept defeat on that tear in the rubber in the seal between the door and the drum, I took regular scotch tape (and an ever cheaper version of it, think extremely flimsy tape that sticks as much as a post-it note) and put it on the two sides of the tear, so that it didn’t leak.

I totally felt like the guy from Flextape!

Sorry for the hair in the tape, I didn’t see it when I was taking the picture.

To ensure my theories were working, 10 minutes after starting the machine I put toilet paper attached to the door, to ensure no water would like from that “hole” - that worked… kind of. MacGyver spirit successful.

And that’s how I got an idea for another post!

Was I able to do the laundry and wait until a new seal arrives? Yes!

Is it the final solution? Of course not!

I experiment, fail, iterate! I also understand when to collaborate (call the guy that fixes machines) and when to ask for a sponsor (pay for that to be fixed with my emergency fund).

In short, being a MacGyver at work (whether that means working in an office, a manufacturing plant or writing Substack posts) means being creative with limited resources, taking action without hesitation, and figuring it out along the way.

And funny thing… I actually used to reference MacGyver in a few of my CVs and even on LinkedIn at one point! But then, as hiring managers got younger and probably less familiar with 80s TV shows, I quietly retired it. 😂

Still, it’s a classic pop culture reference that holds up, right? Maybe not for resumes anymore, but definitely still good for a post about it :)