Best practices for High Fives

Only give High Fives when they're truly earned, as genuine appreciation is felt more deeply and is more motivating than empty gestures. Instead of just saying "Great job!", tell them why— for example, "Great job on the presentation today, your insights into the data were especially valuable." It's also important to send High Fives soon after the noteworthy action occurs, as timely recognition has a stronger impact than delayed acknowledgment.

What to do: @Courtney great job writing that research-backed blog post - the research elements that you included were extremely relevant to the feature we were highlighting. 

What not to do: @Courtney great job writing that blog post! 

It isn’t always the big wins or gestures that merit appreciation. Look around and you’ll likely notice dozens of small moments worth celebrating. It could be someone’s demeanor or their attention to detail. While significant achievements certainly warrant a high five, don't forget to acknowledge the smaller, day-to-day victories that can be equally important.

What to do: @Maria, I really admire how you take such an interest in everyone’s well-being.

Sharing the impact your co-worker had on you makes recognition twice as meaningful. Don’t only thank them for what they did, also share the impact it had on you personally or professionally!

What to do: @Shane you did a great job speaking about 15Five at the conference this weekend. You articulated our “why” in an inspiring manner which left prospects interested in learning more about our product!

What not to do: @Shane you did a great job speaking about 15Five at the conference this weekend.

Research from Harvard professor Francesca Gino and Stanford professor Frank Flynn shows effective recognition isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach and needs to be customized to the preferences of the receiver. Most people fall into the trap of recognizing others the way they themselves like to be recognized: if you like to be recognized publicly, you’ll most likely recognize others publicly as well. 

But when it comes to recognizing others, don’t follow the golden rule. For the biggest impact, recognize your team members the way they like to be recognized, not the way you like to be recognized. Gallup’s data reveals that the most effective recognition is honest, authentic, and highly individualized. After you’ve written an amazing high give in your Check-in, you’ll have the option to send it privately or publicly. The public or private option allows those giving a High Five to customize their recognition to the receiver’s preference.

To provoke conversations around how employees like to receive feedback, consider utilizing 15Five's Best-Self Kickoff tool. The Best-Self Kickoff is a strategic meeting that aims to help employees and managers understand each other and their work needs, building a stronger working relationship. During this meeting, an employee and their manager discuss answers to specific questions, including their preferred way of being recognized.

"Strengths-spotting" refers to the practice of identifying, recognizing, and appreciating the innate talents, abilities, and positive qualities of individuals. In a workplace or team setting, it involves observing and acknowledging the specific strengths each person brings to the table, thereby promoting their use and development to benefit both the individual and the organization.

Practicing strengths-spotting when recognizing people at work fosters heightened engagement and productivity, as it aligns with the core tenet of positive psychology to harness individual strengths for enhanced well-being and performance.

At 15Five, we use an acronym that makes give strengths-based high fives easy: S.E.A.

• The "S" stands for "Spot." Spot the strength this person exemplifies. 
• The "E" stands for "Explain." Explain, in detail, the behavior you observed. Details are what set apart good feedback from great feedback. Ask yourself: "What did [person] do that worked well?" and list out the specific behaviors, then tie them back to the strength you spotted.
• The "A" stands for "Appreciation." Express appreciation for the person's strength and share the impact it had on you.

Company values are the guiding principles and beliefs that shape the culture, decision-making, and behavior of an organization. They are the foundation on which a company's mission and vision are built, and they represent what the organization stands for and what it aspires to be.

Using company values in high fives helps ensure that company values stay top-of-mind and provide employees with clear examples of behaviors and actions that align with your company's vision and mission.