The Maverick Way: Profiting from the Power of the Corporate Misfit

This is a set of case study information out of a highly competitive commercial industry that has seen both public outlook and technology change dramatically over the last four decades. While told in story form, the lessons are real and translatable to other industries rather readily. It suggest that management (upper) should take a close look and the non-conforming individuals to find the results of their actions, and potentially give them some more rope to succeed with.

I had a great surprise when a friend from work lent me this book and said, "You have to read this." The book reads effortlessly, like a good friend telling you a great story. When I finished reading it I found the author had put a lot of things into perspective for me. I have a much greater insight into the maverick and how mavericks can benefit a business organization. For anyone in business this is required reading. For everyone else it is enlightenment and entertainment.

Cheverton's been-there-done-that business sense combines with a novelists knack for entertainment makes The Maverick Way a star in the crowded field of business books. Instead of charted, statisitically oriented information on climbing the corporate ladder, Cheverton takes us on a wild ride as the corporate Maverick is identified, makes waves, gets things done, leads when necessary, follows when he must and works his way through the system with a vision that can't be confined. The Maverick Way made me want to get to work, rethink my strategies and be a maverick too. When I was finished with this book I wasn't left with a list of things to do but with the true spirit of what makes business great, risky and so satisfying. A must read for anyone who is serious about making a mark.

Corporate America has been mismanaging its most creative people for generations because innovative ideas threaten the status quo. This is a great study of that sad phenomenon, and an inspiring story of one notable maverick, Bill Wilson, who succeeded spectacularly against the odds. A must-read book for both managers and the brilliant anarchists they manage.