Justin Locke

Justin Locke spent 18 seasons playing the double bass with the Boston Pops. After working with many legendary maestros, including Arthur Fiedler, Henry Mancini, Leonard Bernstein, and John Williams, one question kept coming up: What was it that made this handful of leaders so much more effective? What was it that made these great conductors . . . “great”?

The answer: it was not about having more talent or technique–Arthur Fiedler, the most successful of them all, actually had less. The difference was, these top conductors did not follow conventional wisdom or standard procedure. They dared to be different.

The common fear of being different, of failure, or of making mistakes– can impede innovation and growth. In this highly amusing presentation (based on his book, “Principles of Applied Stupidity”), Justin Locke tells stories that will inspire you to “embrace your inner idiot” and free yourself from the limitations of conventional wisdom.