How High-Fives Make Everything Better!
Small Gestures → Big Impact!
As self-proclaimed Chief High-Five Officer, I cherish National High-Five Day (the third Thursday of April). I haven’t celebrated in three years because of the pandemic, and I retired from my role on April 1. No more high-fives!
How did high-fives become so important to me?
It was the result of an accident.
In 2014, I launched an employee survey based on Gallup’s Q12 questions as published in First, Break All the Rules. The questions are answered based on a 5-point Likert Scale. A “1” means you strongly disagree with the statement, and a “5” means you strongly agree.
The book suggests great companies maximize 5s. For example, the first question is, “I know what is expected of me at work.” In a great company, most employees should be able to strongly agree (or “5”) with that statement.
I was in a meeting with our Supervisor Advisory Team recommending a training plan to help supervisors understand how to interpret the survey questions and their results.
The SAT liked the plan but changed almost every element. They thought the program’s name should include “High-Fives” since we wanted to maximize 5s. “Good, let’s go,” I said, and the meeting began to wind down.
As Diane started to leave (she had suggested the name), I stood and gave her a High-Five. Later that day, she sent all of us this email:
“As Bill and I ‘High-Fived’ at the end of our meeting today, it occurred to me that you can’t really effectively High Five by yourself. It takes more than one person. It is a shared validation of a positive outcome or success (which can be any step achieved along the way), agreement of ideas, vision, or action plans. And, it feels good, brings inspiration, acknowledges, carries momentum and gives positive reinforcement. Have you ever experienced a negative High Five?”
I became a high-fiving fool!
Over the years at work, I would periodically go on a walkabout, maybe returning a phone call or email with a quick visit to a colleague on another floor or building. Sometimes I was wandering around, getting some steps in. I thought of it as “Managing By Walking/Wandering/Wondering Around.
While walking, I’d give and receive high-fives from people I passed. It was fun, energizing even. At some point, I self-proclaimed myself the CHFO.
Here’s part of a Kudoboard post I received when I retired from my CFO role (a little different!) earlier this year:
Bill, before I got to formally meet you, you came around our office one Friday when there was hardly anybody in; and gave everyone who was there working away at 3:30 in the afternoon a big High Five. I figured because I was new, I might get bypassed, but you came over with a huge smile and gave me a High Five on a day when I was really tired and ready for 5 pm. That small gesture was HUGE! I asked around, and everyone told me you periodically did that — even though we’re not in your department — and I was very impressed. … Thank you for being you — and hope to see you around!
I was high-fiving because it made me feel good. I didn’t realize until reading this message that this simple, uncomplicated act that I was doing for me could so profoundly impact others.
Never misunderestimate how small gestures can impact others.
Leave a comment below if you have questions or want to know more.
There’s a lot more to tell.