Category Archives: Observations

Who do you have to tell you the bad news?

Posted on June 23, 2009 by Justin Locke

I spend a fair amount of time reading books and blogs about management.  Make no mistake, I get a lot out of what I read.  But I will say, there’s an awful lot of emphasis on high-minded strategy, and not … Continue reading →

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The Future of Management by Gary Hamel

Posted on June 23, 2009 by Justin Locke

So I was reading Jamie Notter's Blog, and he talked about a book by Gary Hamel titled The Future of Management. The book cites a sturdy where 85% of workers are giving less than their full commitment, and the possible … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts Education, Observations, Speaking, The Art of Originality, The Business Side of Music | 1 Comment

Time is more than money

Posted on June 21, 2009 by Justin Locke

I’m sure you have all heard the phrase “Time is money.”  And when this phrase is stated, it has a certain air of finality to it.  There’s an implication that “money is the most important thing, so hurry up.” But … Continue reading →

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Orchestra Conductors and Some Common Mythologies of Leadership

Posted on June 13, 2009 by Justin Locke

One of the most commonly asked questions I get when I give a presentation to an outside-the-music-business audience is, “what exactly does the conductor do??”  The mythology of conductors, which has been fertilized for eons by orchestral press offices, is … Continue reading →

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Café Press takes a marketing cue from GM

Posted on June 10, 2009 by Justin Locke

My mother, may she rest in peace, used to be a junk dealer.  One of the items she sold was old postcards.  Now just about every other junk dealer at the flea markets would put out a box of old … Continue reading →

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A truly wacky idea for campaign finance reform

Posted on June 2, 2009 by Justin Locke

Someone was asking me today about my political philosophy . . . which reminded me of an idea I had for public campaign financing which is probably quite stupid. . . . but this is the wonder of embracing one’s … Continue reading →

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What Have You Twittered Me Lately, or, A Show About Nothing

Posted on May 31, 2009 by Justin Locke

I suppose most people reading this blog have never even heard of Marshall McLuhan.  Nowadays he is probably best remembered for the cameo appearance he had in Annie Hall, in the scene of standing in the line at the movies.  … Continue reading →

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Looks at Books

Posted on March 5, 2009 by Justin Locke

I was watching this video last night about our disposable culture, and it kind of occurred to me that in a sense, we have developed a culture of disposable ideas as well as disposable water bottles. So call me old-fashioned, … Continue reading →

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Is it time to make drugs legal?

Posted on February 26, 2009 by Justin Locke

Well, in the midst of all the other bad news I get to watch on the nightly news, drug-related violence is on the rise in a big way in Mexico. It must be pretty bad "bad news" if that made … Continue reading →

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There’s way too much excellence around here

Posted on October 27, 2008 by Justin Locke

Since I work around various artistic organizations, I run into the word "excellence" a lot. You often hear phrases like "seeking the highest levels of artistic excellence."  Another example:  I recently heard about a music school that was "nurturing excellence." And … Continue reading →

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