Mavericks at Work:

Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win

By William C. Taylor and Polly LaBarre

Did you know that there is a successful bank, a big one, that does not offer credit cards? Or that there is a high-end retailer of women’s clothing that does no advertising? ING Direct and Anthropologie are two of the companies highlighted in the book Mavericks at Work, by William C. Taylor and Polly LaBarre, that are considered mavericks because they are wildly successful at not doing what everyone else is doing. By “breaking the mold,” the businesses profiled in this entertaining read from two veterans of Fast Company magazine demonstrate that focus, determination, customer-centricity and originality can differentiate a company even in the most competitive and saturated markets. The book describes four “maverick messages” that are well-articulated by those winning in the market today: a clear competitive strategy, an open mind towards innovation, a focus on exceeding customer expectations, and the ability to attract and retain the best employees for the job. Companies that are executing on these principles should be easy to spot—they are the ones dominating their markets, not because they are content with doing things a little better than their rivals, but because they do not even compete with their traditional rivals. As an example, the authors examine Commerce Bank’s retail approach to banking—the company calls its branches “stores,” and compares its product sales, foot traffic and customer satisfaction metrics against retailers such as Home Depot and Wal-Mart, rather than against Bank of America or Citibank. With hours modeled more like convenience stores than banks (the authors note that one store in Manhattan is open until midnight on Fridays), Commerce Bank’s figures for customer loyalty, new customer acquisition and deposits make it a stand out in its industry, as well as in the retail business. At the end of the book, the authors amass a collection of recommended “maverick material.” The books, web sites, and case studies listed are calls to action—they emphasize that there are real companies making real profits and achieving high customer satisfaction and employee loyalty today by taking the maverick approach. Although there is a sea change occurring in the telecom industry, there are no providers profiled in the book. But perhaps by applying the authors’ principles, a true maverick in telecommunications will emerge.

Reviewed by Lona Dallessandro.