This article describes what makes a High Five effective — including specificity, timing, impact, individualization, strengths-spotting, and company values.
Make High Fives genuine, specific, and timely
Give a High Five only when recognition is genuinely earned. Specific recognition lands more meaningfully than a general compliment.
- Specific: "Great job on the presentation — your data insights were especially valuable to the team's decision" communicates more than "Great job!"
- Timely: Send a High Five soon after the noteworthy action occurs. Recognition delivered close to the event has stronger impact than delayed acknowledgment.
Recognize small wins, not just milestones
Significant achievements warrant recognition, but so do day-to-day contributions. A colleague's consistent attention to detail, supportive demeanor, or reliability in small tasks are all worth acknowledging.
Example: "@Maria, I really admire how you take such an interest in everyone's well-being."
Include the impact
Recognition is more meaningful when the recipient understands the effect their action had. State what they did and what it produced.
- With impact: "@Shane, you did a great job speaking about our product at the conference. You articulated our 'why' in a way that left prospects genuinely interested in learning more."
- Without impact: "@Shane, you did a great job speaking at the conference."
Match recognition to the recipient's preference
Effective recognition is individualized. Research shows most people default to recognizing others the way they themselves prefer to be recognized — but that approach does not always match the recipient's actual preference.
When writing a High Five in 15Five, you can send it publicly or privately. Use the option that aligns with how the recipient prefers to receive recognition.
To surface recognition preferences for your team, use the Best-Self Kickoff. During a Best-Self Kickoff meeting, employees and managers discuss working preferences including how each person likes to be recognized. See Best-Self Kickoff — Feature Overview for details.
Use the S.E.A. framework for strengths-based High Fives
Strengths-spotting means identifying and recognizing the specific talents and qualities a person brings to their work. Recognizing people through the lens of their strengths reinforces engagement and aligns with positive psychology principles.
15Five uses the S.E.A. framework to structure strengths-based High Fives:
- S — Spot. Identify the strength the person exemplifies.
- E — Explain. Describe the specific behavior you observed in detail. Ask: "What did this person do that worked well?" Tie the observed behaviors back to the strength you spotted.
- A — Appreciation. Express appreciation for the strength and share the impact it had on you.
Detailed explanation is what distinguishes good recognition from great recognition.
Include company values
Referencing a company value in a High Five keeps values visible and gives employees concrete examples of behaviors that align with the organization's mission.
To include a value, add the corresponding company value hashtag in your High Five text. See Include a company value hashtag in a High Five for instructions.