Domino (spelled dominion in French) is a type of game played with 28 black-and-white tiles, or dominoes. The word is derived from the French words for “bone” and “card,” but its origin is a little more obscure than that, possibly inspired by the cape worn by a priest at the carnival season or masquerade.
Playing with dominoes can be very enjoyable, whether you’re a kid or an adult. Children like to stack the dominoes on end in long lines, which can create very elaborate designs when the first one tips over.
Some people also use dominoes to play games, like a variant of the popular board game Five-Up. In this game, the player with the highest number of pips wins. The most common domino sets available are double-six (28 tiles) and double-nine (55 tiles).
When playing a game of dominoes, the first player begins by putting down a domino with an end that matches the other end’s number of pips. Then, the other player plays a domino that has an end with an equal number of pips to the last domino in turn.
Another way to play dominoes is to have two players take turns drawing from a stock of 28 dominoes. These are usually shuffled face down, and each player then draws seven dominoes from this stock to form their own domino set.
Eventually, they can start to knock each other down in a series of dominoes. This is called the domino effect, and it’s a strategy that can work well in business.
It’s important to focus on the small tasks that will have the most impact, and to work them until they are complete. Getting these done will help you “knock over” bigger things that will move your business forward.
The domino effect is a great mental model to use as you consider the next big idea for your company. It can also be applied to your personal life, as Ivy Lee taught Charles Schwab many years ago.
For example, Schwab would spend his mornings focusing on the most impactful task of the day. Once that task was completed, he could then move onto the second most important one. By focusing on these small, high-impact tasks, Schwab was able to build momentum in his company that moved it ahead.
In addition, he learned to make sure that all of his employees had a strong understanding of the company’s values and mission, which helped keep them focused on the work they did every day. It was this dedication to a strong and clear purpose that helped his company grow into the largest independent steel producer in the world.
When it comes to your career, the domino effect is a powerful tool for determining what is most important and for achieving success in that area. It’s easy to fall into the trap of spending time on everything, but if you can focus on the one task that will have the most impact, you’ll be on your way to knocking over bigger and bigger dominoes.