Becoming Quote by John Kao
“Organizations are about putting ideas through one or more types of gating procedures. In this way, ideas go from being a whim to becoming a project, from being a "skunk works" effort to becoming an official, mainstream effort, from being an unfounded program to a funded process, and so on.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Art of Innovation by John Kao, 2005
Innovation moves through stages of validation, from informal ideas to formal, funded projects via systematic gating.
In simple terms: Ideas become real through structured approval steps.
Key Takeaway
Use clear gates to turn ideas into projects.
Themes
innovation
process
management
entrepreneurship
strategy
Mood
cautious
optimistic
practical
Type
business
strategic
When to use this quote
- startup incubation
- corporate R&D
- product launch
- grant applications
- policy formulation
Key Concepts
gating
project development
resource allocation
risk assessment
Questions to Reflect On
- Which gates add value and which hinder progress?
- How can we balance rigor with flexibility?
A Different Perspective
Over‑reliance on gates can stifle creativity and delay breakthroughs.
