The Domino Effect
Domino is a family of games played with square pieces that have an arrangement of dots or “pips” on one side and are blank or identically patterned on the other. Dominoes are similar to playing cards in that they may be played by individuals or teams, and the objective is to empty one’s hand of dominoes before the opponent. A player can score points by placing a domino to an existing domino chain (the touching ends of the two dominoes must match: i.e., a domino of type one touches a domino of type two).
In the past, a person who wanted to play Domino would purchase a complete set of domino tiles and then create a game board. Today, a large number of domino sets are available commercially in a variety of sizes and shapes, but the most popular contain double six and double nine pieces.
Despite their unassuming appearance, dominoes have an extraordinary ability to affect the world around them. This phenomenon is known as the Domino Effect.
The Domino Effect occurs when a small event causes a series of events that lead to an unexpected result, often a negative outcome. For example, a terrorist bombing in Egypt might cause a domino effect that includes economic turmoil, political instability, and violence throughout the region. A chain reaction of this nature is also known as a cascade.
A Domino Effect can also occur in business. A few small changes can have a huge impact on a company’s success or failure. For instance, if a company’s leadership fails to follow through on its stated values, such as valuing employees, the entire organization might be thrown into chaos and eventually fail. A great way to avoid such a domino effect is by establishing clearly defined organizational values and then following them through with actions and decisions.
For example, when the CEO of Domino’s Pizza introduced a new set of core values in 2013, he included the value of listening to employees and making sure their voices are heard. This helped him to address customer complaints and make needed changes. The company went on to win a Top Workplaces Leadership Award from the Detroit Free Press and achieve record growth.
Another way to use the Domino Effect in writing is to show a character making morally questionable choices, or doing things that go against societal norms. This can be a great way to build conflict in your story, and if handled well, it can help readers understand your character’s motivation. However, it is important to give your reader the logic that explains why your character makes these choices. Otherwise, your scene will fail to resonate with readers and they won’t be able to buy into it. To successfully pull this off, you need to give your reader a reason why the hero of your story is willing to step outside societal norms. Without that reasoning, the Domino Effect will be a failure.
