--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you give a good idea to a mediocre…" description: "\"If you give a good idea to a mediocre group, they'll screw it up. If you give a mediocre idea to a good group, they'll fix it. Or they'll throw it away..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/edwin-catmull-5340_come-up_if-you-give-a-good-idea-to-a-mediocre-gr_2117463.jpg" --- # If you give a good idea to a mediocre group, they'll screw… ![“If you give a good idea to a mediocre group, they'll screw it up. If you give a mediocre idea to a good group, they'll fix it. Or they'll throw it away and come up with something else.” quote by Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/edwin-catmull-5340_come-up_if-you-give-a-good-idea-to-a-mediocre-gr_2117463.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/edwin-catmull-5340_come-up_if-you-give-a-good-idea-to-a-mediocre-gr_2117463.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/edwin-catmull-5340_come-up_if-you-give-a-good-idea-to-a-mediocre-gr_2117463.jpg) > “If you give a good idea to a mediocre group, they'll screw it up. If you give a mediocre idea to a good group, they'll fix it. Or they'll throw it away and come up with something else.” [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quality of ideas and the competence of teams interact: good ideas need good execution, mediocre ideas can be salvaged by strong teams, but both can fail if mismatched. **In simple terms:** Good ideas need good teams; bad ideas can be fixed by good teams. Key Takeaway Match ideas with appropriate talent. Themes creativity team dynamics innovation Mood reflective analytical Type business creative When to use this quote - product development - startup teams - research labs - creative projects - organizational change Key Concepts idea quality team competence execution problem solving Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess idea quality before assigning a team? - When should a bad idea be discarded outright? A Different Perspective Even strong teams may not rescue fundamentally flawed concepts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Come up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-up/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Good idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-idea/) [Good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Idea Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-good/) [Idea Mediocre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-mediocre-4303854/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Mediocre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre/) [Mediocre Group](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre-group-4303853/) [Screw Mediocre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screw-mediocre-4303855/) [Screws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screws/) ## Related quotes > [You can give a great film idea to a mediocre team and they may screw it up, but if you give a mediocre idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/you-can-give-a-great-film-idea-to-a-mediocre-team-and-they-may-screw/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [“If you give a good idea to a mediocre team, they will screw it up. If you give a mediocre idea to a brilliant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/if-you-give-a-good-idea-to-a-mediocre-team-they-will-screw-it-up-if/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [I love being around people that contribute. It doesn't matter where the good idea comes from. A good idea is a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-love-being-around-people-that-contribute-it-doesn-t-matter-where/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I have found out one thing and that is, if you have an idea, and it is a good idea, if you only stick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-rhodes/i-have-found-out-one-thing-and-that-is-if-you-have-an-idea-and-it-is/) [Cecil Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-rhodes/) > [I have a pretty good idea of what I am not good at and have it front and centre of my consciousness every minute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/i-have-a-pretty-good-idea-of-what-i-am-not-good-at-and-have-it-front/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [I didn't just graduate from Stanford with a really good idea and a good dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cenk-uygur/i-didn-t-just-graduate-from-stanford-with-a-really-good-idea-and-a/) [Cenk Uygur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cenk-uygur/) > [There are two things that have to happen before an idea catches on. One is that the idea should be good. The other is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/there-are-two-things-that-have-to-happen-before-an-idea-catches-on/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [“Why is it a good idea for you and not a good idea for me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/why-is-it-a-good-idea-for-you-and-not-a-good-idea-for-me/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [That is the fun about a new bnginnieg, isn't it? If you know what lies ahead, it would be so boring. And everything usually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis/that-is-the-fun-about-a-new-bnginnieg-isn-t-it-if-you-know-what-lies/) [Elvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis/) > [“Can an idea always be a good idea? Yes it can, for example the idea of 'spending your free time in nature' is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/can-an-idea-always-be-a-good-idea-yes-it-can-for-example-the-idea-of/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Let me tell you what was a good idea. It was a good idea, Moody's and others said that this was exactly what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/let-me-tell-you-what-was-a-good-idea-it-was-a-good-idea-moody-s-and/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [If everyone is trying to prevent error, it screws things up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/if-everyone-is-trying-to-prevent-error-it-screws-things-up/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [My idea of a good time is creating something and reading a good book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-gibb/my-idea-of-a-good-time-is-creating-something-and-reading-a-good-book/) [Robin Gibb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-gibb/) > [My idea of a good job would be to be paid really well to sit on my ass all day to look at pictures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lesy/my-idea-of-a-good-job-would-be-to-be-paid-really-well-to-sit-on-my/) [Michael Lesy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lesy/) > [In the world of knowledge, the idea of good appears last of all, and is seen only with effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/in-the-world-of-knowledge-the-idea-of-good-appears-last-of-all-and-is/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More by Edwin Catmull > [Lucasfilm has always had an openness to technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/lucasfilm-has-always-had-an-openness-to-technology/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Creative ideas aren't like Jenga blocks, where they fall apart and you've got to start from scratch, though it can feel that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/creative-ideas-aren-t-like-jenga-blocks-where-they-fall-apart-and-you/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [With every one of our films, we try to touch emotions, but we don't try to touch the same emotions each time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/with-every-one-of-our-films-we-try-to-touch-emotions-but-we-don-t-try/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Every new idea in any field needs protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/every-new-idea-in-any-field-needs-protection/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Creativity has to start somewhere, and we are true believers in the power of bracing, candid feedback, and the iterative process - reworking, reworking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/creativity-has-to-start-somewhere-and-we-are-true-believers-in-the/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [At heart, we believe that the films that work well are the films that do touch people emotionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/at-heart-we-believe-that-the-films-that-work-well-are-the-films-that/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Creativity doesn't follow titles. It just comes from where it comes from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/creativity-doesn-t-follow-titles-it-just-comes-from-where-it-comes/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [We'll fund a project even if I'm skeptical because I'd rather be proven wrong by somebody on the inside than by somebody on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/we-ll-fund-a-project-even-if-i-m-skeptical-because-i-d-rather-be/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [I actually feel awkward being at the center of attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/i-actually-feel-awkward-being-at-the-center-of-attention/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [We have a whole industry which is gigantic: games. Games is very successful. It's its own art form, though, and it's not the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/we-have-a-whole-industry-which-is-gigantic-games-games-is-very/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [A movie contains literally tens of thousands of ideas. They're in the form of every sentence; in the performance of each line; in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/a-movie-contains-literally-tens-of-thousands-of-ideas-they-re-in-the/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [With certain ideas, you can predict commercial success. So with a 'Toy Story 3' or a 'Cars 2,' you know the idea is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/with-certain-ideas-you-can-predict-commercial-success-so-with-a-toy/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Beware of being blinded by your own success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/beware-of-being-blinded-by-your-own-success/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [My best advice came by examples. A supportive environment at home, school, and grad school. Support at the New York Institute of Technology, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/my-best-advice-came-by-examples-a-supportive-environment-at-home/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [When it comes to producing breakthroughs, both technological and artistic, Pixar's track record is unique. In the early 1990s, we were known as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/when-it-comes-to-producing-breakthroughs-both-technological-and/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) [Explore all 101 Edwin Catmull quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) ## More Come up quotes > [“79. A soul which knows that it is loved, but does not itself love, betrays its sediment: its dregs come up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/79-a-soul-which-knows-that-it-is-loved-but-does-not-itself-love/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It is the incongruous thing in my entire life, this isolation.. ... My work requires it - but I myself have no need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-the-incongruous-thing-in-my-entire-life-this-isolation-my-work/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [As much as I want to stay on the team -- I love Chicago, I love the Bulls -- at the same time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/as-much-as-i-want-to-stay-on-the-team-i-love-chicago-i-love-the-bulls/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I have so many people come up to me, 20-some years later, and saying, "I loved you in Jawbreaker!".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-benz/i-have-so-many-people-come-up-to-me-20-some-years-later-and-saying-i/) [Julie Benz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-benz/) > [I don't know what makes a guy want to write songs and sing, but if you've got a message, you want to get it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-ledoux/i-don-t-know-what-makes-a-guy-want-to-write-songs-and-sing-but-if-you/) [Chris LeDoux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-ledoux/) > [My objective is to design a space that nobody else can come up with while using the material that anyone can use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/my-objective-is-to-design-a-space-that-nobody-else-can-come-up-with/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [Remember, with writing, what you’re looking for is just one person to come up and tell you, 'I love you for what you do.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/remember-with-writing-what-you-re-looking-for-is-just-one-person-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The wisdom or the essence of Guru Tattwa is a balance. Like when you maintain a plant, if you do not give it water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/the-wisdom-or-the-essence-of-guru-tattwa-is-a-balance-like-when-you/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [I shoot in black and white, sometimes color, sometimes if it looks good I shoot out the window of the airplanes or whatever, anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-shoot-in-black-and-white-sometimes-color-sometimes-if-it-looks-good/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I'm supportive of women, absolutely, and it's so gratifying to have girls come up and say, 'I'm really inspired by your guitar playing.' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-vincent/i-m-supportive-of-women-absolutely-and-it-s-so-gratifying-to-have/) [St. Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-vincent/) > [I hate it when people come up to me on trains and ask 'Are you Soulja Boy?' If people want pictures or autographs, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soulja-boy/i-hate-it-when-people-come-up-to-me-on-trains-and-ask-are-you-soulja/) [Soulja Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soulja-boy/) > [All the earth is at rest and is quiet: they are bursting into song. Even the trees of the wood are glad over you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah/all-the-earth-is-at-rest-and-is-quiet-they-are-bursting-into-song/) [Isaiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah/) > [I can tell you who's planning terroris attacks. The leaders of ISIL. And I can tell you where they're at. They're in Raqqa, Syria.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-can-tell-you-who-s-planning-terroris-attacks-the-leaders-of-isil/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) [Browse all 2,010 Come up quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-up/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you give a good idea to a mediocre group, they'll screw it up. If you give a mediocre idea to a good group, they'll fix it. 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