Domino, a cousin of playing cards, originated in China in the 1300s and has become one of the world’s oldest tools for game play. From professional domino games to arranging and then knocking over thousands of dominoes, it’s a popular pastime that requires both skill and patience.
The markings on a domino, known as pips, originally represented the results of throwing two six-sided dice. Dominoes have since been modified to include other values and symbols, and are now used for a number of different games. Dominoes can be made with either rounded or square edges, and the number of pips on each end varies. Dominoes with the same pips on both halves of the face are called doubles. A domino with a unique combination of pips is referred to as a single or a combination domino.
Historically, dominoes were made of ivory, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), or a dark hardwood such as ebony with contrasting white or black pips inlaid or painted on. More recently, sets have been made from synthetic materials such as plastic, resin, and polymer clay. Some of these are very light and feel hollow, while others have a more substantial weight and feel. They’re also much more expensive than traditional sets.
Domino’s Pizza CEO Don Monaghan is a fan of the game, and has been quoted as saying “Domino’s is all about leadership and the ability to stand out in a crowd. A big part of that is being able to see the bigger picture and not get bogged down in the details.”
Hevesh, who has worked on projects for movies and TV shows, and even helped set a Guinness record, started her YouTube channel at age 10 to show off her domino creations. She now has more than 2 million subscribers and creates spectacular domino setups for special events, including an album launch for Katy Perry. Her largest domino installations take several nail-biting minutes to fall, but when they do, it’s all because of a simple chain reaction that starts with the first domino.
Just like a domino, a great leader can help an organization grow and thrive by being able to see the bigger picture. This involves understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, and finding the right people to lead it in the future. A good example of this is Domino’s, which has taken a less-traditional approach to management than many other large corporations and embraced behavioral theory.
To start a domino chain, a player places a tile to the left of an opening double, which must be a matching end–for example, a double-six. As each subsequent tile is played, it must be positioned perpendicular to the previous tile to form a snake-line shape as it develops. This technique helps the chains to develop in a natural manner and prevent the formation of a tangled mess of dominoes. A player continues to place tiles until all of the players have an opening double in their hands, or until a specified total is reached.