Today, the word “hack” is being used to communicate an entirely new message and meaning. The Urban Dictionary describes a “hack” (noun) as “a clever solution to a tricky problem”.

Dictionary.Com, on the other hand, defines “hack” (verb) as “to cut, to clear, to break up the surface.”

So, what if the best “hack” for your team is to “hack” your team?

One of my best clients has dramatically grown his business over the last four years. As I’ve worked with his organization, their team has quadrupled, their locations have tripled; and, annually, they have doubled revenues. Along the way, they’ve become a stronger team: the individuals are more focused and they seemingly enjoy their work and each other more.

When I first met their team, they were like many businesses and non-profits that I work with. They had built a “way of doing business” that perfectly fit the style and whims of the owner. That worked fairly well for a while; then, it stopped working altogether. Their tires were spinning furiously but they had stopped gaining traction. The team was stressed. Tears were present in a number of the initial meetings. They were doing good; but, they knew they should be great and that felt bad. They decided to do something about it.

They hacked their team.

What makes this client one of my best clients is the owner recognized this truth: what worked to get them this far wouldn’t work to get them further. He stopped being in love with his own methods and started to focus and care more about the outcomes. This meant he had to change so that his team could manage more growth and change.

Does your team need to be hacked?

To effectively answer this question, there are four basic areas you should explore:

Mindset: A mindset is defined as a: “fixed mental attitude that determines our responses and behaviors.” Basically: mental and emotional programming. If you struggle with trusting, you’ll never be able to delegate well or make effective (or retain) key management hires. If you struggle with scarcity thinking, you’ll work against yourself; unable to achieve greater things. If you struggle with your self-image, you’ll question the value you offer and, therefore, offer less value.

Systems: A system can be defined as a: “patterned or structured way of doing things.” This can be a system for how tasks are delegated, how finances are managed, how information is shared, how decisions are made, or anything else. If systems are well designed to serve your desired outcomes, they help make things efficient and easier to manage. They allow one person to accomplish more. They allow more people to come on board with less effort. The wheel doesn’t need to be reinvented every time.

Policies: Closely related to systems, policies can be defined as: “guiding principles and standards that help people navigate decision making.” Many organizations “cut and paste” policies from elsewhere. No one really knows why those policies are in place, or what they do. Many other policies are developed out of fear and crisis. They are the answer to, “That will never happen again!” While it’s wise to be risk aware, policies that are primarily focused on preventing behavior will never lead an organization to new heights.

Staff: Personally, I have a bias towards trying to help people succeed within your organization. However, some people just don’t belong on the team. Specifically, three kinds of people: 1) People who are unethical. 2) People who no longer demonstrate motivation. 3) People who undermine others or the organization.

There is another group of people: those who may not have the right skills for the job. Assuming they represented themselves honestly in the hiring process, their placement is the responsibility of management. I recommend moving them to a role that is better suited for them.

Hacking 101

Hacking your team doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s how to begin:

Focus: Pick one of the above four areas to focus on. For example, let’s say Systems.

Clarify: Choose a specific system that doesn’t seem to be working, as you would have hoped. Or choose a series of decisions, or activities, that don’t seem to have an associated system. This could be a financial management process, or a decision-making process.

Ask these questions:

• Purpose: What purpose does this serve and does it help us accomplish our vision?
• Method: Why is it done this way?
• Consider Change: Should it be improved? Should it be removed?
• Consider Process: If so, How?

Modify these questions as needed.

Effective leaders recognize when change is needed and they don’t avoid it.

Now, ask yourself:

What needs to be hacked within my organization?

What could my team accomplish if they were freed up to perform to their potential?