ClaryooFist to five, also called fist of five, is a quick way to check how much a group supports a proposal. Everyone holds up zero to five fingers at the same time, and you can see at a glance whether you have agreement, or who you need to hear from.
A short video from MIT's Office of Religious, Spiritual and Ethical Life explains it with the Council of Elrond: a vote can push people apart, because the majority wins and the minority is expected to live with it. Fist to five looks for something everyone can get behind, and it surfaces the objections before they turn into quiet resistance later.
What each number means
| Show | Means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Fist (0) | I'm against this and will work to stop it. | Stop. Hear the objection; the proposal needs to change. |
| 1 | I see major issues we need to deal with now. | Hear them before going further. |
| 2 | I see minor issues to resolve before I can agree. | Ask what would get them to a 3. |
| 3 | I have minor concerns, but they can be sorted out as we go. | You can go ahead. Note the concerns. |
| 4 | I agree. | Go ahead. |
| 5 | I'm all in, and I'll help make it happen. | Go ahead, and think about who leads it. |
The rule
You have consensus when everyone is at 3 or above. You don't need everyone at 5.
Never average the numbers. Half the room at 5 and half at 1 averages to 3, and it means you don't have agreement at all. What matters is the lowest hand.
How to run it
- State the proposal in one sentence, and write it where everyone can see it.
- Explain the scale, or show the table above on screen. New groups need it the first few times.
- Count down: "3, 2, 1, show."
- Everyone at 3 or above? Say so, and move on.
- Anyone at 2 or below? Ask them, without pressure: "What would it take to get you to a 3?"
- Change the proposal if needed, then vote again.
When someone shows a fist
A fist or a 1 isn't a problem; it's the reason to use fist to five. Thank them for saying so. Ask what they see that others might be missing. Often the proposal improves: in the MIT example, the holdout's objection leads the group to change the plan, and then they agree. If you really can't find something that gets everyone to 3, that's a sign to bring in outside help, not to force it through.
On a call
Holding fingers up to a camera works for small groups. For more than about eight people, or with cameras off, ask everyone to type a number in the chat at the same moment ("3, 2, 1, send"), so nobody sees the others' numbers first.
Fist to five or dot voting?
| Fist to five | Dot voting | |
|---|---|---|
| Question | Do we support this one proposal? | Which of these ideas should we prioritize? |
| Result | Agreement, or the objections | A ranked list |
| Use it | At the end, to commit | In the middle, to narrow down |
Common mistakes
- Using it before the proposal is clear. People vote on different things.
- Letting people see each other's hands first. Count down so everyone shows at once.
- Moving on after a 1 because "most people are fine". That's the decision that unravels in three weeks.
Run it with Claryoo
Run fist to five as an anonymous live poll with six options, 0 to 5. People type a number in the meeting chat, or tap it on their phone in a room, and nobody sees anyone else's answer first. You see the lowest numbers immediately, and the result, plus the decision you reach, is in your summary when the session ends.
More to watch
- Fist to Five and Frodo: How to find consensus, MIT ORSEL (4 min): the scale and the consensus rule, told through The Lord of the Rings.
- Agile Fundamentals: Fists of Five Voting, Chris Gagné (2 min): using it to gauge confidence in a plan.
- For bigger decisions, use the full consensus process.
Use it in a ready session
Free PowerPoint templates with the slides, timings and speaker notes written. Fist to five fits in each one.
Want a co-host in your next session?
Claryoo joins your Zoom, Google Meet or Teams call, runs polls people answer in the chat, and writes up what was decided.
Start freeFree plan. No card needed.