--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A new idea is delicate. It can be killed…" description: "\"A new idea is delicate. It can be killed by a sneer or a yawn; it can be stabbed to death by a quip and worried to death by a frown on the right person..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/charles-bowers-226863_brows_a-new-idea-is-delicate-it-can-be-killed_713845.jpg" --- # A new idea is delicate. It can be killed by a sneer or a… ![“A new idea is delicate. It can be killed by a sneer or a yawn; it can be stabbed to death by a quip and worried to death by a frown on the right person's brow. When innovations are in the exploration stage, they need a champion to take them through the rest of the developmental stages. Otherwise…” quote by Charles Bowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/charles-bowers-226863_brows_a-new-idea-is-delicate-it-can-be-killed_713845.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/charles-bowers-226863_brows_a-new-idea-is-delicate-it-can-be-killed_713845.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ec/charles-bowers-226863_brows_a-new-idea-is-delicate-it-can-be-killed_713845.jpg) > “A new idea is delicate. It can be killed by a sneer or a yawn; it can be stabbed to death by a quip and worried to death by a frown on the right person's brow. When innovations are in the exploration stage, they need a champion to take them through the rest of the developmental stages. Otherwise the bureaucracy, politics, and people who can only see the fledgling and potential innovation through today's glasses will smother it or let it quietly die from malnourishment.” Charles Bowers ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. New ideas are fragile; they need protection from ridicule and support from champions to survive bureaucracy. **In simple terms:** Ideas need nurturing, not mockery. Key Takeaway Champion innovative thinking. Themes innovation vulnerability support bureaucracy creativity Mood encouraging protective Type Brows:0 Bureaucracy:1 Champion:1 Change:1 Death:0 Delicate:1 Developmental:1 Dies:0 Exploration:1 Fledglings:1 Glasses:0 Ideas:1 Innovation:1 Innovations:1 Needs:1 New idea:1 New ideas:1 People:1 Persons:0 Quip:0 Right person:0 Sneer:0 Stage:1 Technology:1 Today:0 Travel:0 Vision:1 Worried:0 Innovation Today:0 Potential Innovation:1 Innovations Exploration:1 When to use this quote - startup incubators - research labs - team brainstorming Key Concepts psychology of creativity organizational behavior leadership Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect fragile ideas? - What role does critique play? A Different Perspective Champions may be scarce. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bureaucracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bureaucracy/) [Champion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champion/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Exploration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploration/) [Fledglings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fledglings/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Innovations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovations/) [New idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-idea/) [New ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) ## Related quotes > [We know that the nation that goes all-in on innovation today will own the global economy tomorrow. 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The problem of obesity contains the possibility of new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-neumeier/sift-through-threats-for-hidden-possibilities-every-threat-carries/) [Marty Neumeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-neumeier/) > [Stop waiting for what you want, and start working what you have. This can turn your greatest frustration into your greatest potential innovation. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-furtick/stop-waiting-for-what-you-want-and-start-working-what-you-have-this/) [Steven Furtick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-furtick/) > [It's not the fledgling birds that are thrown out of the nest by their parents and made to fly; it's the parents who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosamund-lupton/it-s-not-the-fledgling-birds-that-are-thrown-out-of-the-nest-by-their/) [Rosamund Lupton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosamund-lupton/) > [I had the good fortune to be thrown unexpectedly into something called the Labour Research Unit - a little known organisation set up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-the-good-fortune-to-be-thrown-unexpectedly-into-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm sorry I'm not more cultured. I'll watch PBS. And cut people open for fun. Will that be better? Will you be less embarrassed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-armintrout/i-m-sorry-i-m-not-more-cultured-i-ll-watch-pbs-and-cut-people-open/) [Jennifer Armintrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-armintrout/) > [I think that that's important as a fledgling creator to generate your own work because it's hard to get people to hire you for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-grevioux/i-think-that-that-s-important-as-a-fledgling-creator-to-generate-your/) [Kevin Grevioux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-grevioux/) > [Nerd herd, focus. You're here to help the fledglings. Dour One and Dour Two aren't important," said Aphrodite. "Dr. Seuss reference. I like it,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nerd-herd-focus-you-re-here-to-help-the-fledglings-dour-one-and-dour/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Many fledgling moralists in those days were going about our town proclaiming there was nothing to be done about it and we should bow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/many-fledgling-moralists-in-those-days-were-going-about-our-town/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Because you are the superhero fledgling. I’m just your more attractive sidekick. Oh, and the herd of nerds are your dorky minions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/because-you-are-the-superhero-fledgling-i-m-just-your-more-attractive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you are incubating new ideas, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" is very good advice. But when you are seeking to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-moore/when-you-are-incubating-new-ideas-don-t-put-all-your-eggs-in-one/) [Geoffrey Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-moore/) > [It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. The AIDS orphans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/it-has-been-hard-to-muster-the-resources-to-support-fledgling/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [These fledgling democracies in the Middle East, they're actually fighting for their freedom. And what are they rioting for in England? Leisurewear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/these-fledgling-democracies-in-the-middle-east-they-re-actually/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) ## More Brows quotes > [If wrinkles must be written on our brows, let them not be written upon the heart. The spirit should never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/if-wrinkles-must-be-written-on-our-brows-let-them-not-be-written-upon/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Strong brows is what I have, and I embrace them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-connelly/strong-brows-is-what-i-have-and-i-embrace-them/) [Jennifer Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-connelly/) > [Keep your brow game on point and always pack a lip gloss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinashe/keep-your-brow-game-on-point-and-always-pack-a-lip-gloss/) [Tinashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinashe/) > [There is no greater injustice than to wring your profits from the sweat of another man's brow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/there-is-no-greater-injustice-than-to-wring-your-profits-from-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I've been blessed with good eyebrows, and I've worked very hard for them. Get a good brow pencil, fill them in a bit, make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zendaya/i-ve-been-blessed-with-good-eyebrows-and-i-ve-worked-very-hard-for/) [Zendaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zendaya/) > [If our inward griefs were written on our brows, how many who are envied now would be pitied. It would seem that they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/if-our-inward-griefs-were-written-on-our-brows-how-many-who-are/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [Some people criticize me for using sources that are a bit low brow (this quote is from 'Gladiator') but you know what? 'I'm just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/some-people-criticize-me-for-using-sources-that-are-a-bit-low-brow/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [She stretched out her hand, saying, “Vernon! My dear, what a delightful surprise!” “What’s surprising about it?” he enquired, lifting his black brows. “Didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-heyer/she-stretched-out-her-hand-saying-vernon-my-dear-what-a-delightful/) [Georgette Heyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-heyer/) > [When I know I have a huge shoot, I’ll just go into the sauna and steam out my face. Product-wise, I don’t really do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanel-iman/when-i-know-i-have-a-huge-shoot-i-ll-just-go-into-the-sauna-and-steam/) [Chanel Iman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanel-iman/) > [Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/angels-are-bright-still-though-the-brightest-fell/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I ain't the captain of the yacht, but I'm on the boat; I ain't acting what I'm not, knowing that I don't. You niggaz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beanie-sigel/i-ain-t-the-captain-of-the-yacht-but-i-m-on-the-boat-i-ain-t-acting/) [Beanie Sigel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beanie-sigel/) > [Senseless is the breast and cold Which relenting love would fold; Bloodless are the veins and chill Which the pulse of pain did fill;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/senseless-is-the-breast-and-cold-which-relenting-love-would-fold/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [When book and reader's furrowed brow meet, it isn't always the book that's stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-gass/when-book-and-reader-s-furrowed-brow-meet-it-isn-t-always-the-book/) [William H. Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-gass/) > [Certain media attracts more pulpy or low-brow things, especially when they're young. Finding the best story, in any particular medium, is going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/certain-media-attracts-more-pulpy-or-low-brow-things-especially-when/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [I have never done anything to my brows, though sometimes I tweeze the intersection of the left and right brow, which is either a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leandra-medine/i-have-never-done-anything-to-my-brows-though-sometimes-i-tweeze-the/) [Leandra Medine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leandra-medine/) Browse all 336 Brows quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A new idea is delicate. It can be killed by a sneer or a yawn; it can be stabbed to death by a quip and worried to death by a frown on the right person's brow. When innovations are in the exploration stage, they need a champion to take them through the rest of the developmental stages. 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