The domino effect describes a sequence of events that starts with one small action and leads to much larger consequences. A good example of this is a falling domino that tips over the entire line of dominoes beneath it. As Hevesh says, “When the first domino falls, it converts much of its potential energy to kinetic energy, which is energy that pushes the next domino over.”
Dominoes are flat, rectangular tiles with markings on them called pips. They originated in China in the 1300s and are one of the oldest tools for game play. The earliest written record of them is in a manual called the Xuan He Pai Pu (Manual of the Xuanhe Period).
Hevesh creates her mind-blowing designs by stacking dominoes on end in long lines and then tipping over one or more of them. The resulting chain reaction causes the remaining dominoes to fall, forming patterns and shapes such as squares and hearts. You can also use dominoes to make 3D structures such as towers and pyramids.
To play a domino game, players begin by picking twelve or more of the tiles. Each player then takes turns placing a domino edge to edge with another domino, with each pair of ends matching. The paired dominoes then form a line and, if the exposed pips total a particular number, that amount is scored. There are also scoring games where points are awarded based on the number of dots on the exposed ends of the paired dominoes.
While Hevesh has been using dominoes for years, she didn’t start her career as a domino artist. She worked as an electrical engineer for the federal government before she was hired by Domino’s in 2005 to help improve the company’s operations. She was a big fan of the company’s culture, and she focused on making Domino’s an even better place to work.
She started by promoting the company’s core values, such as listening to customers and rewarding employees for their hard work. As a result, she was named a Top Workplaces Detroit Free Press Leader for Leadership. She also emphasized the importance of improving and implementing processes for the benefit of employees. This included changing the dress code, providing new training opportunities, and introducing an employee-nominated college recruiting system.
Hevesh believes that a great company must have a strong foundation and that this is especially true for the workplace. The best way to accomplish this is to listen to the needs of the people and understand what motivates them. Domino’s has done this by focusing on their employees, and this approach has made the company more competitive in the fast-food industry. It’s no wonder that Domino’s has enjoyed 30 consecutive quarters of positive US sales and is on track to reach 25,000 global locations by 2025. We hope that these examples of the domino effect can inspire you to think differently about your own company and how you run it.