Evaluation - How To Look Back Without Judgement

Potential Leader Lab

"Can you look at that moment without labeling it as a failure? Just look at it and ask yourself what actually happened ?"

I’m wrapping up our E3 series by exploring the crucial skill of “Evaluation”—how we can look back at our actions without slipping into judgment. I’ll be digging into why true evaluation isn’t about finding fault or seeking praise, but about honestly uncovering what really happened and using those insights to grow.

I’ll share my perspective on why setting a direction matters more than obsessing over specific goals, and how staying open-minded fuels real learning and curiosity. This episode is full of practical prompts for self-reflection, ways to separate intention from outcome, and ideas for moving from performance and self-judgment to authorship and ongoing personal evolution.

I’ll even introduce the idea of “Edit” as a fourth E in my framework—highlighting the power we have to continually rewrite our own stories.

Whether you’re leading others or focused on your personal growth, my hope is that this conversation helps you see your experiences more clearly, so you can evaluate not to judge, but to learn and move forward with intention.

Relentless Moments

00:00 "Judgment-Free Self-Evaluation"

03:38 "Goals Limit Growth and Curiosity"

08:05 Holistic Reflection Over Critique

11:15 Reflective Self-Assessment Prompts

16:09 "Recognize Manipulation Patterns"

16:37 Reflect on Actions and Narratives

Here are 3 key takeaways that really resonated with me:

• Evaluation isn’t judgment: Judging closes off curiosity and learning. When we simply observe our actions—good and bad—without labeling them, we create space for honest growth.
• Focus on direction, not destination: Goals can sometimes create tunnel vision and stifle our curiosity. Instead, aligning with our personal direction and values helps us stay flexible and intentional, adapting and learning as we go.
• Normalize reflection and feedback: Most of us only look back when something goes wrong, attaching blame and shame. By routinely reflecting on all our experiences (not just the missteps), we create opportunities for real learning and self-authorship.

This Week’s Challenge

Pick one moment you’ve labeled as a “failure.”

Simply observe and write down what happened—completely factually, without any judgment. Approach it as an unattached observer and notice what you might learn. Then, try this at the end of each day:

What did I learn today? How did my choices shape who I am becoming?

Let the insights surface naturally.

Perry Maughmer believes the world deserves better leadership; that in every human interaction there is the opportunity to either build others up or tear them down; and that leadership is the choice we make in those moments.

These beliefs led Perry to create the Potential Leader Lab. He wanted to offer those who share his beliefs the space and safety to explore transformative ideas, experiment with new behaviors, and evolve into the leaders they were meant to be and that the world needs.

This is a framework he has used again and again with his Vistage peer advisory groups and companies like Turn-Key Tunneling, Convergint, Haughn & Associates, I Am Boundless, Ketchum & Walton, LSP Technologies, and Ahlum & Arbor.

Perry lives and works on the shores of Buckeye Lake in Ohio, in the mountains of northwest Georgia, and on the beach in Anna Maria, Florida with his amazingly creative wife Lisa. They have 2 rescue dogs and are intermittently visited by their 3 wonderful children throughout the year. Perry & Lisa are living life in crescendo and focused on exploring, experimenting, and evolving their vision of a life they have no desire to retire from.

Copyright 2025 Perry Maughmer