Leadership and the Domino Effect
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If you’ve ever played a game of domino, then you understand the principle that one piece can knock down many more. This simple, yet powerful, rule can be applied to nearly every aspect of your life. It’s a principle that can transform your business and propel your career. It’s also a principle that can help you become a better leader. Let’s explore some of the ways that you can apply the Domino Effect in your leadership.
A domino is a small rectangular block, usually wood or plastic, with a blank or patterned face and an arrangement of dots resembling those on dice on the other. A complete set contains 28 such pieces, although many games are played with fewer. The name derives from the Italian for “finger” (domino).
Like playing cards, dominoes have a unique identity-bearing side that is characterized by either a pattern or a number of spots. Unlike the dots on a die, however, the pips (also called spots) on a domino are not arranged in a single line; rather, they are spread out in a regular or symmetrical pattern.
Physicists refer to the energy that exists in a standing domino as potential energy. When a domino is knocked over, much of this energy is converted into kinetic energy, or energy of motion. Once converted, this energy causes other dominoes to fall in a chain reaction.
You can model this process using a ruler, a domino and some masking tape. Begin by measuring the length of a domino and recording this measurement. Place the domino so that the bottom edge is touching the end of the ruler. Then use a piece of tape to create a hinge connecting the back of the domino with the base of the ruler.
Next, place the first domino on the table and a second domino adjacent to it. If the two dominoes have matching values, then they may be paired together to play a game of domino. Each player must in turn play a tile, positioning it so that its value matches the value of the first domino. Play continues until a player cannot continue or until both players have completed their turns. When this happens, the players who have played the most number of tiles share victory.
Domino’s focus on innovation has transformed their company from a struggling pizza delivery service into the world’s leading pizza delivery brand. They have created innovative ordering platforms that allow customers to order pizza from their car or via Amazon Alexa or Google Home. Their emphasis on technology has also helped them develop robotic and drone delivery systems.
The Domino Effect is a principle that can be used to improve any area of your life or business. The next time you have a goal to achieve, think about how you can apply the Domino Effect to achieve it. And remember that when you do, you might just find that one change leads to another—and the results can be truly phenomenal.