Dominoes are a game of chance, skill and strategy in which a player tries to make matches by placing tile sets end to end. The game is popular with both children and adults and can be played with different kinds of dominoes, including the standard 28-tile set.
The word domino is derived from the French verb dominer, which means “to go out” or “to be done.” Both the game and the word originated in France shortly after 1750. Earlier, domino was a term for a long hooded cloak worn during carnival season or at a masquerade, and it is this sense that influenced the name of the game.
One way to understand the game of dominoes is by learning about how they fall. Physicist Stephen Morris, who studies how dominoes work, says that when a domino is upright, it stores potential energy, much like a battery does. When it falls, though, the stored energy is converted into kinetic energy, which moves it.
A falling domino can cause a chain reaction, just as a spark can start a fire. This is also the reason that a domino can fall over and over again as you play the game.
Another way that the falling domino can affect a person’s life is through the concept of the domino effect. This is the idea that a single event can create a cascade of events, and it’s used to explain how Communism spread from one country to another during the Cold War.
The domino effect can also be applied to other areas of life, such as when one person’s actions can have a positive impact on a group of people or a company. For example, David Brandon, then-CEO of Domino’s Pizza, realized that the company’s high turnover rate among employees could be an issue. He decided to implement an employee training program and to speak directly to workers about their concerns.
While these changes may seem like small steps, they’re actually a big deal to the company. And because they changed the culture of the company, they made it more likely that employees would stay with the business.
In addition to the employee training program, Brandon and Doyle worked hard to create a more welcoming environment for employees. This included holding meetings and conferences with employees, listening to their concerns and addressing them, and making sure the company was a good place to work.
This change had a domino effect on the company’s customers as well, who began to appreciate the new culture and started to feel more connected to the company. The resulting increase in sales helped the company reach its goals and ultimately led to the success that it has today.
The domino effect is a valuable lesson for all of us. We can use it in our own lives to pick our priorities and focus on tasks that will have the greatest impact on our long-term goals. And when we do, we’ll be able to achieve our objectives faster.