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Mavericks: How Bold Leadership Changes the World
How many of our business leaders truly embody the change needed in the world of work and beyond? Not nearly enough. This book shows you how to reclaim your power to make a difference, by unleashing your inner maverick.
Organizations are where the world's most innovative and impactful talents lie; we have the ingenuity, the technology and the resources to change the world for the better. Discover how to awaken the maverick mindset in you; one that will question, debate and enhance. Mavericks are the key to answering some of the world' most pressing challenges; they don't settle for anything less, and neither should you. Mavericks shows you how being a maverick isn't about shooting from the hip and rocking the boat for the sake of it, it's about demanding better of yourself and your organization for the wider good.
In Mavericks, business consultants, London Business School faculty members and authors David Lewis and Jules Goddard guide you through the five characteristics that you can develop to become a maverick leader. From passionate belief, an undeterred attitude, being resourceful, being directional and finally experimenting, these characteristics are the blueprint for you to grow into an iconic and positive change maker. The focus is not on what becoming a leader can do for you, but on what you can do to make the world a better place.
Organizations are where the world's most innovative and impactful talents lie; we have the ingenuity, the technology and the resources to change the world for the better. Discover how to awaken the maverick mindset in you; one that will question, debate and enhance. Mavericks are the key to answering some of the world' most pressing challenges; they don't settle for anything less, and neither should you. Mavericks shows you how being a maverick isn't about shooting from the hip and rocking the boat for the sake of it, it's about demanding better of yourself and your organization for the wider good.
In Mavericks, business consultants, London Business School faculty members and authors David Lewis and Jules Goddard guide you through the five characteristics that you can develop to become a maverick leader. From passionate belief, an undeterred attitude, being resourceful, being directional and finally experimenting, these characteristics are the blueprint for you to grow into an iconic and positive change maker. The focus is not on what becoming a leader can do for you, but on what you can do to make the world a better place.
217 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 3, 2022
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27 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 23, 2022
Not bad at all. I guess this book will resonate with you or it will leave you cold depending on where you are at in your life and career.
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July 9, 2022Let’s take a look at the maverick manifesto as it sums up this perfectly: “I am a nonconformist. I am resourceful, resilient, and experimental. I want to make things better, and I know how. In life, I am guided by a clear vision of my higher order goals and personal philosophy.” Make this manifesto your own to unleash your inner maverick. In doing so, you’ll find self-fulfillment, improve your organization, and maybe even change the world.
One step you could take right now is to ask a coworker, “How should I change to bring out the best in you?” When the other person makes some suggestions, you can reply, “In order for me to change, it would help me if you changed your own behavior in this way.” And so on. It’s a fantastic ice-breaker that relies on trust – and also helps create it. In this way, you can start growing a network of people who support you.
---
Anyone can develop their inner maverick.
Elon Musk. Jacinda Ardern. Steve Jobs. Oprah Winfrey. What do these people all have in common? They’re maverick leaders – independent thinkers who have often taken a rather unorthodox approach to leadership, with amazing results.
But we’re not going to talk about Elon Musk or any of the other famous maverick leaders. Instead, we’re going to focus on something a little bit different: ordinary mavericks. Normal people, just like you and me.
Yes, really. Anyone can be a maverick. It’s not just about your DNA, or whether or not your parents raised you to think for yourself. The authors of Mavericks studied a wide range of maverick leaders, from businesspeople to explosives experts. After hours of research and interviews, they concluded that it wasn’t just nature or nurture that made these people mavericks.
Of course, it’s true that some people are naturally more, well, unorthodox. Take Sidney Alford, for example. This explosives expert showed signs of a maverick nature from an early age. As a child growing up in London during the Second World War, Alford was fascinated by bombs. He would make fireworks using material he found on bomb sites. At school, he even made firecrackers from nitrogen triiodide and put them under the chair of a long-suffering teacher.
Alford later went on to have an extraordinary career as an engineer, creating devices that destroyed terrorist bombs.
Obviously, Alford was special. But the authors are convinced that we’re all born with innate maverick tendencies. Just think of how curious, experimental, and original children can be. As we go through life, it’s up to us whether or not we develop those tendencies.
In other words, you can choose to become a maverick. And it’s a choice you can make again and again.
At this point, you might be wondering, Do we all need to be mavericks? Is it really that important? Well, yes. According to the authors, it is important. We live in a divided and homogenized world, and mavericks are the solution. We need original thinkers, dissenters, and people who are capable of seeing things through the eyes of others.
The end goal is to create maverick societies – and a better world. But before we get ahead of ourselves with ideas for global transformation, we need to think about change on a smaller scale. First, let’s start with the individual. What makes a maverick a maverick anyway?
---
Mavericks are resourceful.
Mavericks want to change things. And in order to change things, they need to be particularly resourceful. Resourcefulness – that’s another quality that all mavericks share.
For maverick leaders, resourcefulness means making connections and identifying opportunities, often in unusual ways. They see potential in unexpected places – potential that might be easily missed by other people. For example, a maverick entrepreneur can spot a gap in the marketplace and introduce original commodities, which lead to exciting new business opportunities.
That’s the definition of resourcefulness – spotting opportunities and then taking advantage of them. You could also think of it in terms of “exploiting capital.”
Let’s take social capital as an example. Resourceful mavericks know the value of social interaction and the exchange of ideas. Even a simple conversation between two people can be the start of a new opportunity. But here’s something interesting. Often, a conversation between two loosely connected people can be more effective than a conversation between two close friends.
Armene Modi is a maverick leader who understands the value of so-called weak ties. When she decided to improve gender equality in India and launch her own NGO, she didn’t just rely on the support of close friends and colleagues. Instead, in her own words, she started “knocking on every door.” She reached out to friends of friends, and people at the very edge of her social networks.
As she circulated her NGO proposal throughout her extended networks, total strangers began to pledge their support. These “weak ties” had a surprisingly strong influence and enabled her to get the NGO off the ground.
Two decades later, the NGO that Modi created – thanks to her network – continues to thrive. And they’ve made a huge step forward in terms of gender equality in India. For instance, in some villages the average age of marriage for girls has risen from 13 to 19.
Even if you’re not planning to set up an NGO or transform society, you can still learn a valuable lesson from Modi’s story. Mavericks who get things done know how to exploit social capital and use their network – all of it. They don’t just rely on close-knit connections.
Yes, it’s nice to work with friends and people you know and trust. But unless you branch out, you won’t get very far. So talk to the people you know, and the people they know, and so on. Go right to the edge of your network – and beyond.
And it doesn’t end there. Remember, you can exploit all kinds of capital in all kinds of situations. Be resourceful.
---
Become a maverick leader and achieve your higher purpose.
For mavericks, their professional life is personal. When you’re working in alignment with your higher order goals and life philosophy, the job itself can become a source of meaning and satisfaction.
A good maverick leader is focused on making things better without ego – without arrogance. But along the way, they may discover an amazing sense of self-fulfillment through their work.
Just consider the fact that we’re basically wired to work. It’s in our DNA. Our earliest ancestors did everything in small groups, cooperating and socializing while they worked. And it’s the same today. We find group activities fulfilling.
So if we’re all born with an inner maverick, and we all gain satisfaction from working with others, it’s no wonder maverick leadership can be so rewarding.
We’ve looked at a few ideas for fulfilling your maverick potential. You can do some soul-searching like Khadim Hussain and decide what you want to change and why it matters so much to you. And you can carry out some experiments, using the framework that worked so well for Oscar Lopez.
The authors also have some other practical suggestions inspired by their interviews with mavericks, as well as their own experiences in business.
First, be curious. Mavericks are always curious. Aim to connect with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences, and then engage with curiosity. That means asking some good questions, and listening carefully to what is said – and not said.
After the conversation, make some notes. This tip comes from the maverick Keith Coats, who works at the futurist consultancy TomorrowToday. Coats suggests keeping a journal of all these interesting conversations – it can become a great resource and learning tool.
Over the years, Coats has had “curiosity conversations” with all kinds of people, including authors, business owners, a homeless man, and a monk who had done a 10-year silent retreat.
If you have a curious attitude, you’ll learn more. And leaders have to be learners in order to adapt and thrive.
Here’s a second simple suggestion that can help you develop another maverick quality: take an experimental approach to life. Experiments don’t have to be big projects. They can be small-scale things you do every day. Each night, before you go to bed, come up with an idea for an experiment you want to start the next day. And then start it!
Try to be experimental every single day; do or say something new. Remember, being a maverick is all about repeated choices and actions. It’s a never-ending journey of development.
One step you could take right now is to ask a coworker, “How should I change to bring out the best in you?” When the other person makes some suggestions, you can reply, “In order for me to change, it would help me if you changed your own behavior in this way.” And so on. It’s a fantastic ice-breaker that relies on trust – and also helps create it. In this way, you can start growing a network of people who support you.
---
Anyone can develop their inner maverick.
Elon Musk. Jacinda Ardern. Steve Jobs. Oprah Winfrey. What do these people all have in common? They’re maverick leaders – independent thinkers who have often taken a rather unorthodox approach to leadership, with amazing results.
But we’re not going to talk about Elon Musk or any of the other famous maverick leaders. Instead, we’re going to focus on something a little bit different: ordinary mavericks. Normal people, just like you and me.
Yes, really. Anyone can be a maverick. It’s not just about your DNA, or whether or not your parents raised you to think for yourself. The authors of Mavericks studied a wide range of maverick leaders, from businesspeople to explosives experts. After hours of research and interviews, they concluded that it wasn’t just nature or nurture that made these people mavericks.
Of course, it’s true that some people are naturally more, well, unorthodox. Take Sidney Alford, for example. This explosives expert showed signs of a maverick nature from an early age. As a child growing up in London during the Second World War, Alford was fascinated by bombs. He would make fireworks using material he found on bomb sites. At school, he even made firecrackers from nitrogen triiodide and put them under the chair of a long-suffering teacher.
Alford later went on to have an extraordinary career as an engineer, creating devices that destroyed terrorist bombs.
Obviously, Alford was special. But the authors are convinced that we’re all born with innate maverick tendencies. Just think of how curious, experimental, and original children can be. As we go through life, it’s up to us whether or not we develop those tendencies.
In other words, you can choose to become a maverick. And it’s a choice you can make again and again.
At this point, you might be wondering, Do we all need to be mavericks? Is it really that important? Well, yes. According to the authors, it is important. We live in a divided and homogenized world, and mavericks are the solution. We need original thinkers, dissenters, and people who are capable of seeing things through the eyes of others.
The end goal is to create maverick societies – and a better world. But before we get ahead of ourselves with ideas for global transformation, we need to think about change on a smaller scale. First, let’s start with the individual. What makes a maverick a maverick anyway?
---
Mavericks are resourceful.
Mavericks want to change things. And in order to change things, they need to be particularly resourceful. Resourcefulness – that’s another quality that all mavericks share.
For maverick leaders, resourcefulness means making connections and identifying opportunities, often in unusual ways. They see potential in unexpected places – potential that might be easily missed by other people. For example, a maverick entrepreneur can spot a gap in the marketplace and introduce original commodities, which lead to exciting new business opportunities.
That’s the definition of resourcefulness – spotting opportunities and then taking advantage of them. You could also think of it in terms of “exploiting capital.”
Let’s take social capital as an example. Resourceful mavericks know the value of social interaction and the exchange of ideas. Even a simple conversation between two people can be the start of a new opportunity. But here’s something interesting. Often, a conversation between two loosely connected people can be more effective than a conversation between two close friends.
Armene Modi is a maverick leader who understands the value of so-called weak ties. When she decided to improve gender equality in India and launch her own NGO, she didn’t just rely on the support of close friends and colleagues. Instead, in her own words, she started “knocking on every door.” She reached out to friends of friends, and people at the very edge of her social networks.
As she circulated her NGO proposal throughout her extended networks, total strangers began to pledge their support. These “weak ties” had a surprisingly strong influence and enabled her to get the NGO off the ground.
Two decades later, the NGO that Modi created – thanks to her network – continues to thrive. And they’ve made a huge step forward in terms of gender equality in India. For instance, in some villages the average age of marriage for girls has risen from 13 to 19.
Even if you’re not planning to set up an NGO or transform society, you can still learn a valuable lesson from Modi’s story. Mavericks who get things done know how to exploit social capital and use their network – all of it. They don’t just rely on close-knit connections.
Yes, it’s nice to work with friends and people you know and trust. But unless you branch out, you won’t get very far. So talk to the people you know, and the people they know, and so on. Go right to the edge of your network – and beyond.
And it doesn’t end there. Remember, you can exploit all kinds of capital in all kinds of situations. Be resourceful.
---
Become a maverick leader and achieve your higher purpose.
For mavericks, their professional life is personal. When you’re working in alignment with your higher order goals and life philosophy, the job itself can become a source of meaning and satisfaction.
A good maverick leader is focused on making things better without ego – without arrogance. But along the way, they may discover an amazing sense of self-fulfillment through their work.
Just consider the fact that we’re basically wired to work. It’s in our DNA. Our earliest ancestors did everything in small groups, cooperating and socializing while they worked. And it’s the same today. We find group activities fulfilling.
So if we’re all born with an inner maverick, and we all gain satisfaction from working with others, it’s no wonder maverick leadership can be so rewarding.
We’ve looked at a few ideas for fulfilling your maverick potential. You can do some soul-searching like Khadim Hussain and decide what you want to change and why it matters so much to you. And you can carry out some experiments, using the framework that worked so well for Oscar Lopez.
The authors also have some other practical suggestions inspired by their interviews with mavericks, as well as their own experiences in business.
First, be curious. Mavericks are always curious. Aim to connect with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences, and then engage with curiosity. That means asking some good questions, and listening carefully to what is said – and not said.
After the conversation, make some notes. This tip comes from the maverick Keith Coats, who works at the futurist consultancy TomorrowToday. Coats suggests keeping a journal of all these interesting conversations – it can become a great resource and learning tool.
Over the years, Coats has had “curiosity conversations” with all kinds of people, including authors, business owners, a homeless man, and a monk who had done a 10-year silent retreat.
If you have a curious attitude, you’ll learn more. And leaders have to be learners in order to adapt and thrive.
Here’s a second simple suggestion that can help you develop another maverick quality: take an experimental approach to life. Experiments don’t have to be big projects. They can be small-scale things you do every day. Each night, before you go to bed, come up with an idea for an experiment you want to start the next day. And then start it!
Try to be experimental every single day; do or say something new. Remember, being a maverick is all about repeated choices and actions. It’s a never-ending journey of development.
April 25, 2022
This is a fantastic book. It's hard for me to be objective because we have had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Jules Goddard three times on The Soul of Enterprise. Not only that, both Ed Kless and I blurbed this book, which was sent to us prior to publication. Here is what Ed wrote:
"With Mavericks, Lewis, Goddard, and Batcheller-Adams have identified the essence of entrepreneurship. They demonstrate that innovation and creativity can occur anywhere so long as one person remains, as they put it, 'undeterred in the face of ridicule, resistance and outright hostility.' The book itself creates a movement, just like the Maverick leaders identified therein. I hope to join this movement and change our world for the better." Ed Kless, Host, Sage Thought Leadership podcast and Co-host, The Soul of Enterprise podcast
And here's what I wrote:
"Reading this delightful and incisive book, I recalled a line Henry David Thoreau wrote in Walden: 'If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.' All of us are capable of being Mavericks – those who see a gap between what is and what could be. The five characteristics of Mavericks herein are profound, a guiding light you can refer to over and over to avoid fatalism. By fusing all five of these traits, you will transform into an effective rebel with a cause, contributing to a flourishing life for all."
Four our interview with Jules on this book, go here:
https://www.thesoulofenterprise.com/t...
I always joke with Ed that the last thing the world needs is another leadership book. This isn't really about leadership, but about being a Maverick, being true to yourself and your beliefs, and persevering in the face of ridicule. It's inspiring, and you may just find your Maverick voice. Highly recommended, and also, any other book by Jules. He is brilliant--a true gentleman and scholar.
"With Mavericks, Lewis, Goddard, and Batcheller-Adams have identified the essence of entrepreneurship. They demonstrate that innovation and creativity can occur anywhere so long as one person remains, as they put it, 'undeterred in the face of ridicule, resistance and outright hostility.' The book itself creates a movement, just like the Maverick leaders identified therein. I hope to join this movement and change our world for the better." Ed Kless, Host, Sage Thought Leadership podcast and Co-host, The Soul of Enterprise podcast
And here's what I wrote:
"Reading this delightful and incisive book, I recalled a line Henry David Thoreau wrote in Walden: 'If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.' All of us are capable of being Mavericks – those who see a gap between what is and what could be. The five characteristics of Mavericks herein are profound, a guiding light you can refer to over and over to avoid fatalism. By fusing all five of these traits, you will transform into an effective rebel with a cause, contributing to a flourishing life for all."
Four our interview with Jules on this book, go here:
https://www.thesoulofenterprise.com/t...
I always joke with Ed that the last thing the world needs is another leadership book. This isn't really about leadership, but about being a Maverick, being true to yourself and your beliefs, and persevering in the face of ridicule. It's inspiring, and you may just find your Maverick voice. Highly recommended, and also, any other book by Jules. He is brilliant--a true gentleman and scholar.
June 28, 2024
It's one of the best books I've red on Leadership. Maybe a bit too academic in some of the argumentation, still, I found in it many great ideas painting a comprehensive 360-degree portrait of what great leadership means while questioning some many of today's practices.
July 14, 2022
Such a great book. So inspiring! Read it.
Read
January 11, 2024DNF at 68%. Feels like the entire book is quotable, but lacks any further substance. I like the concept behind it, but the book does not feel valuable to read.
February 12, 2022
Leaders are ordinary people who have aspirations to change their communities, support people and talents in their circle of reach. They lead by example and development a chain of reaction of new leaders who get inspired to make a new change. Maverick leader believes in his / her idea and mission, connecting resources and teams, inspiring others, Darlinghurst issues may come up and going towards the goal. These leaders are persistent and strive to make things better. This book will provide Interest and inspiring stories about ordinary leaders.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews