Upright the Six of Wands is read as victory, public recognition and the pride of success acknowledged by others; reversed, as a setback, a fall from favor, or achievement that goes unrecognized.
Pre-Golden-Dawn cartomancy read a bare six of wands as a resolution following the Five's disruption, success in general rather than specifically public acclaim; the crowd and the laurel wreath are Smith's own additions, and it is her picture more than the older tradition or the matching Victory title that ties this card so firmly to recognition granted by others rather than to private satisfaction.
Waite's own printed meaning, expectation crowned with its own desires, good news, victory and consequent presumption, includes a note of caution, presumption, that much current practice has quietly dropped in favor of a more uncomplicated reading of triumph; the reversed card's warning against ego inflated by success arguably preserves that older caution more faithfully than the upright reading now does.
Because the rider is not alone, the card is frequently distinguished from cards of purely private achievement elsewhere in the deck, and readers commonly use it specifically when a querent's success depends on, or will be witnessed by, other people, rather than for triumphs that go unnoticed by anyone else.