I think ER may be the best thing ever on telly.  We're watching it again on Sky Atlantic.  Right from the very beginning.  While watching last night (I think it is episode 1 or 2 from the programme but we've sky plused it so I've no idea) Carter called for a psych consult (I've got all the words off pat....I could order a CBC and Chem 7 in a shot!).

Following an investigation which showed the woman was clearly struggling to remember anything, Carter queried whether the problem was some unheard of disease and gave 3 or 4 complex possibilities.

The psychiatrist responded...

"When you hear hooves; first think horses not zebras".

Well, that is brilliant.  So often I overcomplicate problems and see others doing the same.  The woman had alzheimers something Carter had overlooked while seeking a more unusual problem.

Often when working in a 360 degree feedback debrief session I see people overanalysing a particular response in their feedback when actually the message is clear.  Rather than trying to work out "what did they mean by that", "what is leading to this response" and looking for something complex our first instinct should be to find the simple explanation.

"When you hear hooves; first think horses not zebras".  Brilliant.


Brendan