A domino is a flat thumb-sized rectangular block with either blank or face bearing from one to six pips or dots: 28 such blocks form a complete set of dominoes. Dominoes are used to play various games and can be arranged in lines or angular patterns. The term also refers to any of the many domino-related events or constructions, such as a lineup of hundreds or thousands of dominoes that are positioned so that when a single domino is tipped just so, all the others follow in a rhythmic cascade. In a domino show, master builders construct spectacular displays to amaze and delight audiences.
We all have seen a line-up of dominoes that, when tipped just so, sets off a chain reaction of other dominoes falling over in a graceful and rhythmic pattern. In fact, you can see this in action in Domino’s shows where they pit teams against each other to build the most complex and imaginative domino effects or reactions before a live audience of fans.
The most basic game of domino involves two players and a double-six set of dominoes. The 28 tiles are shuffled and placed face down to form the stock, or boneyard, from which players draw tiles to play. The first player then begins by placing a tile on the end of a row of unplayed dominoes, and then plays another piece on top of it. This continues until all the dominoes in a row are played or neither player has any more tiles to play. The player who has played all of his or her dominoes wins the game.
In writing, the domino effect can be useful in helping to plan a novel’s plot. Whether you are a pantser (writer who doesn’t use outlines or other tools like Scrivener to map out his or her manuscript ahead of time) or a plotter, every scene in a novel needs to be carefully planned so that it leads naturally to the next scene. If a scene doesn’t help to advance the story forward or doesn’t increase the tension, then it is likely unnecessary and may even slow down the overall pace of the narrative.
A Domino Effect in Leadership
A key element in the success of any business is effective leadership. But how do you identify the right leaders for your company? In the Dominos Pizza franchise, Hevesh demonstrates how she uses her knowledge of domino theory to find leaders that work well with the culture of the organization.
Dominos also focuses on giving employees the training they need to excel in their jobs. For example, the Dominos University program provides ongoing training in management, communication, customer service and other skills that are essential for success within the company. This helps to ensure that employees can take charge of their own careers and feel empowered to make decisions to improve the customer experience. This is a major factor in Domino’s ability to consistently deliver a quality product, on time and on budget.