Domino is a small, rectangular block of rigid material that is used as a gaming object. Also called bones, pieces, men, or stones, dominoes come in a variety of materials and are usually painted with contrasting colors that identify the type of game they are to be played. Several varieties of games can be played with dominoes, but most use the same basic rules. A player scores points by putting down a domino edge-to-edge against another in such a way that the adjacent pips either match (e.g., 5 to 5) or form some specified total (e.g., 12 to 14). In most games, the player who reaches this goal in a given number of rounds wins.
The history of the word Domino is somewhat obscure, but it seems to have appeared in the English language shortly after 1750. In French, it had earlier denoted a long hooded cloak worn together with a mask during carnival season or at a masquerade. The name may have been inspired by this garment, as domino pieces were once made of ebony blacks and ivory faces, which resembled the hood of a priest’s surplice.
Nick Schwab was a woodworker who wanted to make something common but beautiful, and he decided that dominoes would be the perfect project. Using the tools in his grandmother’s garage, Schwab devised a process that allowed him to turn out some truly remarkable work. He used a drill press, radial arm saw, scroll saw, belt sander and welder to create dominoes that were not only small enough for his confined workshop but detailed enough to demand respect from fellow craftsman.
Similarly, in business, good dominoes are tasks that contribute to the achievement of a larger goal. These are often challenging and require a significant chunk of time and focus to complete. Once completed, however, they can pay dividends in the future. It is important for managers to pick the right tasks, and to focus their attention on those that will have the greatest impact.
In other words, good dominoes are the ones that can cause positive effects in the future, while bad ones are those that will have negative impacts. To identify these, managers should start by reviewing their to-do lists and identifying the most important items. These should be the first dominoes to be completed, and they should be given their full attention until completion.
The other main thing that can help a manager determine the dominoes in their team is to understand how they are organized. In a well-organized team, each member is working on the most critical or important tasks that will have the biggest effect on the overall success of the company. The key is to identify the dominoes and then put a plan in place that will ensure these are always the most important items being worked on at any one point in time. This will allow the team to keep its momentum and move forward with confidence.