Domino is a game piece, a flat rectangular block with one or more square ends bearing from one to six spots (also known as dots). A set of dominoes features 28 such pieces that can be used for many games.
A player wins by laying all of his dominoes in order, touching each end to the adjacent ones to create chains and thereby scoring points. The first player to do so is the winner. Some games require players to empty their hands, while others involve blocking the opponent’s play or establishing scoring patterns. Several domino games help children develop number recognition and math skills.
The word domino is also used to describe a chain reaction of events that leads to greater consequences than would have been the case without the initial trigger. This is often referred to as the “domino effect.” A recent example is the collapse of Lehman Brothers, which precipitated bank mergers and led to more government takeovers and bank closures. Other examples include the AIDS epidemic and the global rise of Islamic extremism, which have impacted everything from health care to immigration policies.
While most of us have probably played a game or two of dominoes, many people do not realize just how powerful this little toy can be. In a video made in 1983, University of British Columbia physicist Lorne Whitehead shows how a single domino can knock down objects that are up to about three times its size. In fact, he once built a domino chain that consisted of 13 dominoes and ended up with an object about five feet tall and more than 100 pounds!
The term “domino” is also commonly used to refer to a company that takes its employees seriously. One such company is Domino’s, which emphasizes a leadership style that includes a strong emphasis on employee engagement and empowerment. Taking its employees seriously has proven to be a positive decision for this company, as it has helped the business to thrive in difficult times.
Domino’s success in empowering its employees has been made possible by sticking close to its core values, which include “Champion Our Customers.” The company’s willingness to listen to its employees has allowed it to implement new changes quickly and successfully. Domino’s has taken a lot of heat from its competitors and the media for some of the decisions it has made, but this is because it is unwilling to change the things that have worked so well in the past.
If the company were to change its ways, it would likely be subjected to even more criticism and lawsuits, which could lead to a collapse similar to that of Lehman Brothers. This is why it is so important to stick with what has worked in the past and avoid trying to be something that it is not. The result may not be a domino effect, but the company will still be in a stronger position than if it were to try to reinvent itself from the ground up.