Dominoes, cousins to playing cards, are an ancient tool for games of chance and skill. They are usually rectangular and bear a pattern of spots or “pips” on one side and are blank or identically patterned on the other. The term domino can also be applied to a sequence of events in which one event triggers a series of similar or related events, similar to a falling row of dominoes.
Hevesh, a 20-year-old professional domino artist and YouTube star with millions of fans, creates mind-blowing domino setups that take hours to set up. Then, with just a tiny nudge, thousands of them fall. In domino shows, builders compete for the most complex and imaginative domino effect or reaction before a live audience.
Like a set of dominoes, an organization needs to have solid foundations before it can grow and thrive. A well-defined mission, clear and consistent communication, strong leadership, and a culture that encourages innovation are just some of the elements that can make a company successful. But while these are important, a company must also be willing to innovate, adapt, and change to stay competitive and continue growing.
To do this, the Domino’s leadership team takes on a variety of different projects and challenges that require them to think outside the box. The company is constantly experimenting with new technology to improve their customer service and increase efficiency in their business model. For example, Domino’s CEO Don Meij has taken to the streets of Detroit to help with their pizza delivery services and even climbed inside a truck to experience the challenges that their employees face on a daily basis.
Domino’s is also experimenting with a driverless car and delivery services through drones. While some might see this as a distraction from their core business, the truth is that Domino’s understands that they must evolve in order to continue growing and prospering.
Another aspect of Domino’s that many business owners can learn from is their approach to leadership and management. Their organizational structure is less bureaucratic and leans toward a more behavioral theory of leadership that looks for leaders who are made rather than born. This has helped them to attract a talented and diverse workforce and retain their best talent for years to come.
The most important thing to remember when it comes to creating a domino effect in your life or in your story is that timing is everything. You want to have enough scenes that advance the story (meaning they move the hero farther from or closer to their goal) but you don’t want them to feel overly long or too short. You also want to make sure that you’re not skimping on the details, as this can quickly overwhelm your audience and stall their interest.