At first I was amazed that some people gained the gilded magitek mount (500 commendations) so soon after the feature was released, but I've recently come to realise how the system could be manipulated, the same way that people cheat the pvp system to get placed with their friends. Simply arrange to queue separately but simultaneously for an unpopular duty like a mid-level guildhest and you will likely end up with your friends to commend each other, repeatedly. Thus is cannot be trusted as a mark of a great player.