"Maverick's at Work, Why the most Original Minds in Business Win" was a very insightful read - and reminded me that the best businesses are not necessarily technology based businesses.  Originality in culture, in business model, in leadership, in vision, and in the application of technology are all ways that businesses can stand apart and therefore stay ahead of the game, or even better, redefine the game.  My favorite part were the examples of two retail banking operations - one dedicated to fanatical customer service, the other to fanatically high rates - both very successful!

 A couple of snippets from the Maverick Manifesto and the book

"We’ve seen the face of business at its worst, and it hasn’t been a pretty sight. It’s time to rediscover the power of business at its best and to develop a better way to lead, compete, and succeed."

1. Being different makes all the difference.
2. Sharing your values beats selling value.
3. Nobody is as smart as everybody. (a nice section about the Open Sourcing of Ideas)
4. The people are the company.
5. Character counts for as much as credentials
6. Great leaders are insatiable learners