Preconceived Ideas – Why We Must Always Challenge Them

(Originally published in 2012. Lightly edited October 2026.)

Have you ever found yourself in a business meeting or at an event, listening to someone speak but not hearing what they have to say? You’re just going through the motions to get through the meeting, seminar or conference. Sometimes we make a snap judgement about what is or is not of interest to us, then promptly tune out. Preconceived ideas are a dangerous animal. It’s not easy to admit, but I am pretty sure that we are all guilty of this, at least occasionally!

Our Habit Of Forming Preconceived Ideas Starts Early In Life

Think of childhood stubbornness and teenage belligerence. Getting through those years intact and sane is a miracle. I was a pretty contrary teenager: if my mother or another significant person in my life liked something, then, for a period, I took the opposite position.

That period ended when I realised that I was the one suffering. I was merely cutting my nose off to spite my face. No one else, least of all my mother, cared whether I ate zucchini. I actually waged a war over eating zucchini, and when I think about that now, I cringe because it was a very closed-minded thing to do. I was not open to other people’s points of view, and I dread to think how many opportunities to learn something I missed along the way.

Sometimes We Need A Little Reminder

Daniel, my creative partner at Indigo Girl, and I were discussing Sylvester Stallone a few months ago: the longevity of his career and his brand prominence. As the discussion continued, it became apparent that Daniel saw something I didn’t.

Sylvester Stallone was someone I had become contrary about as a teenager. My mother admired him and my now ex-husband was nicknamed “Rambo”. Poor old Sylvester didn’t stand a chance.

I’d done myself a disservice. I hadn’t seen Rambo or Rocky, but I had very distinct and entrenched opinions about both. I had completely dismissed them out of hand, for all the wrong reasons and without any basis for doing so.

And so the Rambo and Rocky marathons commenced.

I was blown away. Rambo was not even about what I thought it was about. Watching the series was a journey in itself. They were not testosterone-laden films that glorified violence, but thought-provoking, well-written narratives that speak to many of the issues that faced our society back then and are still highly relevant today. I enjoyed all of the Rambo films, and I would say that they stand shoulder to shoulder with the film I tend to judge conflict films by: The Killing Fields.

Rocky was a different story altogether. I’ve only watched the first three so far. They are undoubtedly beautifully written and well shot, but I did not take to the storyline of the first film at all. So no, I don’t like Rocky as much, but now I have a sound basis for making that judgement.

Shedding my preconceived ideas allowed me to enjoy some amazing pieces of cinema history, and I learned a thing or two about myself and the world along the way.

So what does this mean in business?

This translates well to the business arena. It’s worth questioning our preconceived ideas about people, processes, products and, most importantly, how we think things should be done. Sometimes we dismiss a suggestion because we have considered it carefully. Sometimes we haven’t really considered it at all.

When building and reviewing business strategies, that distinction matters. We don’t have to pursue every avenue, but it helps to notice why we’ve ruled something out. Just as watching Rocky didn’t mean I had to love it, hearing someone out doesn’t mean I have to agree with them.

I strive to be as open as possible; I monitor myself and try to catch myself being closed-minded. And if I am having one of those days when I know I am less than enthused about a task or event, I incentivise myself with the promise of a visit to Starbucks afterwards or something else equally delightful.

So the next time I find myself in a meeting or at an event, listening without really hearing, that’s the question I want to ask myself: have I given this a chance, or have I already decided it isn’t for me?

I might still disagree with what’s being said. But I’d rather be responding to what someone actually said than to what I assumed they were going to say.

Related reading: How preconceived ideas shape what we watch.