Domino is a flat, thumbsized rectangular block used in gaming. Its face is divided into two parts, one bearing from one to six pips or dots, the other blank: 28 such pieces form a complete domino set. Also known as bones, cards, men, or pieces, it is played with in many different games in which dominoes are arranged on the table to create lines and angular patterns, and then toppled over in a sequence of moves. The game of dominoes is often used to teach simple arithmetic, or as an exercise in concentration and hand-eye coordination.
In a domino show, an audience watches as builders set up hundreds or thousands of dominoes in carefully choreographed sequences that culminate with the spectacular toppling of all of them by the simple nudge of one. Domino shows often feature a solitary builder, though there are also groups that compete to create the most elaborate and imaginative domino effects in front of a live audience. The physics behind the domino effect is that each piece of the chain, once it is pushed past its tipping point, exerts a force that pushes on the next piece, and so on.
Like dominoes, characters in a story have their own tippling points. Once a character does something out of the ordinary, it can set off a series of events that run counter to what most readers think is logical. This is why writers must always be mindful of what will trigger a domino effect and how it will play out.
For example, if a hero shoots a stranger, the resulting domino effect may cause readers to lose faith in him or stop liking him as a hero. To avoid this, authors must provide logic that gives the reader permission to overlook the hero’s immoral actions or explain why he goes outside societal norms.
The same principle can be applied to leadership and management. A good leader can be the nudge that causes a company to move beyond its traditional pizza-only business and into new territory. Likewise, a bad leader can be the hammer that finally topples a business.
In the case of Domino, it was a change in leadership that proved to be the final nail. After a series of missteps, including a lawsuit and mounting debt, the chain was in danger of disappearing altogether. A new CEO, Don Meij, was hired to turn things around. He began by going undercover as a delivery driver to learn how his workers handled the job and to observe how customers responded. He was able to make several changes to improve efficiency and the overall customer experience, thus boosting sales and profitability.