There's been a few comments raised recently about what a Maverick actually is and why its applicable to what we're building with the British property market.
Most people are familiar with the word "Maverick" even if they're not sure where it originally came from.
The word "maverick" originates from Samuel Augustus Maverick, a 19th-century Texan lawyer who refused to brand his cattle, allowing them to roam freely. Over time, the term has evolved to describe an independent individual who does not conform to the norms of a group.
In this context, we see someone courageous who chose to act independently of "group-think" and instead chose to do what he felt was right for his animals - despite the likelihood of public criticism at the time.
Looking back, we can see Samuel was ahead of his time. His strength of character coined a legacy that has ensured his brave act has been embedded in common parlance for 160 years. How many of us would like to be remembered for having such an impact on the world?
The truth is, we all can, but it requires the courage to act. Courage which seems to have been eroded over successive generations to the point where individual character is now frequently deferred to the crowd or committee for consensus.
This is important to recognise because from an evolutionary perspective, dating back to prehistoric times, if we didn't go along with the tribe, we could be ejected from it, and that was a scary place to be having to try and survive on your own. Naturally, the basic survival instinct has been hardwired into people over thousands of years to stay within the herd.
But this conformity often comes at a significant personal price. A large part of growing as a human being, particularly on the spiritual plane, is to express the true essence of who we are at the core. Frequently we find ourselves in conflict with others because they want to do things one way, whereas we feel it would be far better being done our way.
Taken to its fullest extent, we can see why Henry David Thoreau said:
"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things."
Think about this for just a second - we have just one life, and all too often we're sat in unproductive meetings that drain our soul, or we feel we have to conform to doing the same thing as everyone else lest we face the backlash.
The trouble is, for the most part, the backlash never arrives because deep in their hearts, the people around you truly wish they had the courage to be Mavericks. Their criticisms, if they're ever voiced, are aimed more at themselves than they are at you.
Which brings us to why The Maverick Movement is so important for good property professionals.
If you look at what has happened to the property market, and the professions of estate agency, conveyancing and mortgage advice, you'll notice how commoditised everything has become. It's no surprise that with commoditisation comes significant problems.
All professions now follow a similar path to win business. They're all featured on a digital lead generation site of some description - often one that charges significant fees. Whilst this has been sold to the consumer as convenience, its actually only convenient for the site.
If you have twenty or thirty years experience, its now been reduced to a line of code on a price comparison site. They've put everyone in the same category - and as far as the service buying public are concerned, you're all offering exactly the same service so there's no need to pay more.
What follows next is a race to the bottom on fees.
Not getting enough leads? Cut the fees to win the business.
Lower fees, erode profit margins and make it extremely difficult to invest in better staff or systems, or even weather changes in market conditions such as are unfolding right now.
For the would-be Maverick, this is a heart-breaking situation. They know they're capable of more. They know prospective clients are going to be let down by the low-fee bad actors.
And yet, within a completely commoditised market, they feel powerless to do much about it.
They descend into the inner turmoil of "quiet desperation" - angry at themselves as much as their competitors - because they haven't yet found the courage to stand alone and charge what they're worth.
But "being alone" is just an illusion created by those who have successfully tapped into human psychology. You know who I am talking about - the people at the top who still get paid regardless of whether or not you sell any houses.
The people who conveniently start myths telling you that you cannot sell houses unless you use Rightmove. The ones who hold your business to ransom unless you order your searches from their subsidiary company. The ones who keep you wedded to digital lead generation platforms that sometimes sees them earning more from the job than you do.
Faced with the perceived fear of consequences for acting contrary to these myths, those who lack courage quickly crumble and fall in line.
The worst defer their thinking to the guardians of average - preferring them to do it for them. Unsurprisingly, the guardians of average never recommend anything outside the perceived safety of the crowd because they've built their whole career on playing it safe. It's also why history will never remember them.
Courageous Mavericks on the other hand, will do whatever is necessary to get the job done. Faced with an ultimatum, they'll still do whatever they darn well please and be damned with the consequences. They know their own mind and refuse to bow to anyone - they've learnt the rules like a professional, so they can break them like a Maverick.
The cowards brand their decisions 'risky' or suggest the Maverick personality they're referring to has lost their mind. When in reality, they're the only one who found it.
The British property market has been desperately short of true Maverick personalities for many years - which is why the market has continued to go backwards whilst every other industry has evolved significantly.
But there is a grass-roots movement for change unfolding which will place courageous individuals at the heart of home buying and selling reform.
The Mavericks are quietly rewriting the rules and showing what can be done when armed with the right knowledge, authority and status. They're refusing to accept the status quo that's killing so many businesses in this difficult market. Perhaps more importantly, they refuse to allow others to embark on this journey alone.
And when true Maverick personalities come together, magic happens. Crucially, Mavericks never operate in isolation. Yes, they're unique specialists in everything they do, but they never operate alone.
Think about Top Gun: Maverick - he doesn't service the fighter jet, load the weapons, or navigate the aircraft carrier. He plays his part exceptionally well within an ecosystem designed to support him deliver excellence in the face of hostile opposition. And with his Maverick determination, he succeeds when others would have failed.
Imagine how much better your business could be when you're surrounded by Maverick estate agents, Maverick conveyancers or Maverick mortgage advisors - people who don't complain or tell you why something can't be done - but those who just get on with it and find the solution to the problem.
The Maverick Movement is not about breaking the rules for the sake of breaking the rules - its about rejecting the mediocrity of the current system that's preventing you from being able to do your best work. And earning what you're worth in the process.
If you feel the discomfort of the quiet desperation within calling you to be something more, and you truly wish to express the divinity of your unique individual personality, I invite you to consider becoming part of The Maverick Movement.
It is not a membership group. It is not a think tank. It is not a committee to defer your thinking to. In fact, you've never seen anything like this because its never existed before.
It's an Order of elite professionals. High standards matter. As does integrity. But the right fit matters more. It is not open to everyone and not everyone who applies to join will get in. And that's entirely the point.
The property market has suffered because precious few people have actually grabbed the bull by the horns and chosen to lead the change. Weak leadership is evident across all sectors and in all professions, trade bodies and associations. But they're still getting paid, regardless of how difficult the market becomes or how much more red tape they encourage the government to throw at the sector - because they lack original thinking.
The Mavericks will create the property market as it should be - faster moving, more transparent and with far greater efficiency. And getting paid what they're worth.
Whilst keeping the bad actors firmly out.
It finally gives the public the trusted yardstick they need to determine bad actor from true professional. In time, if you're not a Maverick, the public will deem you not up to the job. And that's a good thing in our opinion.
So, if you think you've got what it takes, you can find out more about The Maverick Movement here: https://themaverickmovement.co.uk
In the immortal words of Maverick - "Don't think, Just Do!"
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