Warmer, Colder: A Smarter Way to Measure Progress
In both my coaching and HR consulting work, I hear it constantly: That was a good meeting. I gave a bad presentation. She’s really good at that, I’m terrible at this. The language of judgment—dividing experiences into “good” and “bad”—is everywhere.
And I recognize it because I’ve struggled with it myself. I’ve often caught myself replaying the day, asking whether I did a good job or a bad one. It’s such an easy default. But I’ve learned it doesn’t actually tell me anything useful.
The truth is, judgment—whether positive or negative—is limiting and unconstructive. Even labeling something as “good” can shut down reflection and growth. It reduces complexity into a verdict, ties identity to performance, and overlooks the real question: Did this move me closer to my goals?
Why Good or Bad Falls Short
When my clients slip into the language of “good” and “bad,” I see how it narrows their perspective. And when I do it myself, I feel how it constrains my own growth. Judgment carries real dangers:
It oversimplifies: Complex efforts are reduced to a single verdict. Work is rarely black and white, and collapsing it into “good” or “bad” blinds us to the nuance and learning that lie in between.
It confuses difficulty with value: Clients often label a tough stretch as “bad.” But some of the most valuable growth comes from hard things. Easy isn’t automatically good; challenging isn’t automatically bad.
It ignores process: Judgment fixates on results. Yet progress often comes in small steps—failures, partial wins, and experiments that build mastery over time.
It entangles identity:“I did badly” can quickly turn into “I am bad at this.” I’ve been there myself, and I know how quickly that kind of thinking undermines confidence and resilience.
It limits growth: Once we’ve declared something good or bad, the conversation stops. There’s no curiosity about what worked, what didn’t, and what to try differently next time.
It creates volatility: Clients describe “great” days and “awful” days. I’ve ridden that roller coaster myself. It’s exhausting when your sense of success rises and falls on each outcome.
It narrows focus to the immediate: A single moment gets judged in isolation. But what really matters is the trajectory over time—are we moving closer to the larger goals?
It fuels comparison: Judging ourselves almost always leads to judging others. That dynamic can erode trust and collaboration.
It encourages perfectionism: If something feels “bad,” the instinct is to fix it into “good.” That mindset discourages experimentation and makes mistakes feel unsafe, rather than part of the process.
Why “Good” Judgment Is Still Judgment
Here’s the trap: we assume “good” judgment is harmless. After all, who doesn’t want to be told they did a good job? But I’ve seen with clients—and in my own thinking—that good judgment carries the same risks as bad judgment:
It oversimplifies: “Good job” doesn’t clarify what actually worked. Without that detail, the lesson is shallow.
It freezes growth: Once something is declared good, we stop asking how it could be better, more efficient, or more sustainable.
It ties identity to outcomes: Feeling good because of a result is fragile—one setback can undo it.
It fuels complacency: Praise without specificity can lead us to repeat behaviors that won’t necessarily move us forward next time.
It distorts collaboration: Labeling one person’s work “good” can cast someone else’s in the opposite light, unintentionally dividing a team.
Whether good or bad, judgment is still judgment. It narrows, limits, and distracts us from what matters: Are we getting warmer toward the goals we care about?
The Marco Polo Lesson
Think about the game of Marco Polo. The seeker swims with their eyes closed, calling out “Marco!” and listening for the response “Polo!” from the other players. They’re going to be swimming no matter what—the effort is constant.
What makes the game work isn’t judgment—no one is telling the seeker whether they’re a good or bad swimmer. What matters is the feedback loop. Warmer and colder cues help the seeker know whether their efforts are moving them closer to their target or sending them in the wrong direction.
Work is no different. Effort will always be there—the question is whether it’s purposeful.
Am I swimming in the right direction?
Am I getting warmer toward my target, or colder?
When clients reframe their language around goals, their perspective shifts. And when I do this myself, I feel the same clarity. “Colder” steps aren’t failure—they’re information. They show us where to adjust course.
Why This Matters for Ourselves
For me, replacing judgment with warmer/colder thinking has been liberating. Instead of asking, “Did I do a good job?” I ask, “Did that move me closer to my goal?” The answer gives me sharper feedback, more specificity, and a sense of direction rather than a verdict.
Why This Matters for Evaluating Others
In HR consulting and coaching, I see how quickly “good” and “bad” judgments about others shut down growth. They flatten complexity into labels, and people begin to internalize them.
When feedback is reframed in terms of warmer and colder—Did this move us closer to the goal, or farther away?—it creates specificity, momentum, and room for course correction. It builds alignment and collaboration instead of judgment and defensiveness.
The Takeaway
Whether in coaching sessions, HR work, or in my own life, I see the same truth: judgment is a blunt instrument. It reduces everything to “good” or “bad,” but doesn’t actually help us learn, grow, or move forward. The warmer/colder model is sharper and more useful. It directs energy, clarifies progress, and leaves space for growth.
So the next time you’re tempted to tally your day—or someone else’s performance—as “good” or “bad,” pause and ask instead:
Are we getting warmer toward the goals that matter?