Life on my term – 4 years or more

Life on my term – 4 years or more?

Mavericks (which I have been defining since 2005, as ‘wilfully independent’ people), can cause wide reaching implications for the people that they interact with. This is a neutral fact, changing only when you consider the type of maverick that is wielding the power.

Socialised Mavericks tend to use influence to get what they want, seeking cooperation first and a win/win scenario in negotiations. Extreme Mavericks can be toxic and dangerous when crossed, seeking to manipulate when charm doesn’t work, and go for the win/lose scenario in negotiations. Whilst Socialised Mavericks (natural leaders) will work for the greater good, Extreme Mavericks are concerned only about what they want and whether they get the accolade and adoration that they believe they deserve. What matters most is getting what they want, not the cause that they profess to care about.

Loyalty to them is all important and gaining it can be all consuming.

Mavericks with their excellent ability to wield and manipulate power can enhance or destroy the people and the situation that surrounds them. No wonder, most tread carefully around them and are unsure how to react to them and their excesses. The fact that they are often highly successful complicates matters.

I can see that President Trump’s maverick nature has confused a lot of people. If you do not understand the maverick mindset and how that affects the maverick personality then it can be perplexing to understand how he has become and retained the haloed position of President of the United States. This is despite his stubborn refusal to follow the established practices and norms of the Presidency, that Conformists would naturally fall in line with.

Of course, the United States has had its share of Maverick Presidents and candidates, but they have tended to have been more Socialised in nature. It is indeed, somewhat unprecedented to have a President who is more Extreme in his nature; especially following a President whose concern has been working for the greater good. The juxtaposition can be most jarring.

Expect to see rocky times ahead whilst President Trump settles into his term(s) of Presidency.

A maverick without structure and boundaries can be very dangerous indeed.

Life on my terms

Of course, this is a mantra followed by all mavericks. All mavericks have attributes that can be summed up by the following WHINES Acronym:

• Wilful Intention
• Honest Belief
• kNowledgeable
• Execution and Output driven
• Success driven

WHINES is a facet of natural leadership, in its most neutral guise. Of course, an Extreme Maverick can take these maverick attributes and become like a runaway train, destroying all in its path to reach its end destination. Socialised Mavericks can use them to grow more leaders and transform the environment that they find themselves in.

It is not surprising, therefore, that President Trump is where he is right now. He has capitalised on his maverick attributes really well. Whether he remains the President or what legacy he leaves behind, will depend on whether he balances his Maverick KEYSTONE™ Capabilities and how he utilises his power bases.

President Trump’s wilful intention was to become the next President, perhaps rebalance how the survival of the fittest works, and ensure that ‘the right people’, maintain and grow their power. I fully believe that his personal interests have been and are in the process of being fulfilled. Mavericks work hard to get what they want, it is a key plank to their success.

From the outside looking in, it appears that President Trump has an honest belief that only he can fix what is wrong and do what is right. This type of belief can be very hard for certain types of mavericks to accept contrary views as their self-belief is very high, and their capacity for cognitive dissonance very low.

All mavericks are influential and find ways to achieve what they want in the timescales that they desire.

Whilst some people will doubt whether President Trump is in fact knowledgeable enough to do his job. It is best to note what he is knowledgeable in. For example, if we assume that his desire was to become President at all costs, we could say that he was extremely knowledgeable in how to achieve this. He knew what his audience, his tribe wanted and gave it to them. (For more information on the kNowledgeable capability, please take a look at my book, The Maverick Paradox: The Secret Power Behind Successful Leaders).

It would be hard to argue that he is not Execution and Output driven, ignoring the consequences that might fall from a narrow perspective and overly determined mind. Being success driven might explain some of the claims of success that have already been made.

President Trump’s utilisation of his maverick attributes, have got him where he is now. Can he maintain his current position, perhaps but he would need to evolve into a Socialised Maverick to truly keep the crown that he has been given.

Life on my term? Perhaps Mr President.

 

Judith Germain is the author of The Maverick Paradox: The Secret Power Behind Successful Leaders. Within this book she provides the blueprint for successful leaders and the understanding of how to utilise maverick power effectively.