I like playing with my family at the domino game. It is so simple you can play as of 2 years old and still enjoy playing when very senior.
It is one of the first simple games we are taught to think ahead, use strategy to place all our tiles and be the first one to finish.
—SIMPLE—
Even if you have never played domino, you will understand how to move your tiles and how you can win the first time you sit down to play.
In businesses, a change which can be explained simply to all has more change to be dealt correctly, enjoyed and be a success than if it a Chinese brain-teaser.
— THINK AHEAD—
Just like with the domino game, businesses need to think ahead, plan their actions and imagine scenari. It is important to understand the market they are in and the competitors they face.
— STRATEGY—
Juste like with the domino game, businesses need to figure out their strategy to succeed. They need to decide to be blunt or sneaky, partner or be lonesome cowboy, seize all opportunities or be tactical… All of these strategies are also possible when you play domino.
— PLACE ALL OUR TILES—
Juste like with the domino game, businesses need to progress in taking into account all of their employees or business units. There is no satisfactory result of a change management if one is left behind or on the side. Sometimes brands decide on moves without considering the whole picture of their organisation. This relates again to the chain reaction or domino effect, but not only.
Let’s take as an example a situation I have seen in my professional life : The objective was to provide sales assistant with tools which would help them sell better. After interviewing sample sales assistant around the world, the company had listed great ideas and potential tools to implement. The brand worked to provide tools to sales assistants which made them more efficient and customers were happier… BUT, the brand had not equipped the sales assistant working out of stores, at the call center. That team you never see because they are in a room with computer and headsets… When this issue was realized by top management, not only the call center personnel was angry they had been left out, but on top of this the program developed did not take into account their technical requirements and needed to be rebuilt from scratch…
So, like in the domino game, the message for businesses is to play with all of their tiles.
— BE THE FIRST—
When playing the domino game, you win if you are the first. Once one player has no tiles left, or the whole game is stuck and he has the lesser number of tiles.
Of course, if the game is not stuck, the rest of the players can continue to play to reach the second place, and the third… But who gets a great satisfaction kick from being second? Who remembers being proud as a kid for finishing third?
In the business life, it is the same. If your goal is not to be first at what you do best, then what is the point? I know others think different from me. But in the luxury industry I have been used to evolving, that’s the way it goes and it corresponds to my personality.
— FINISH—
I like games I play to have an end. I like the moment you lie back and think about what happened during the game. I enjoy counting tiles to see who did best.
I hate to when games are endless and you decide you will continue to play another time or you simply decide to wrap up and leave it as it is… I feel very uncomfortable when a kids gets frustrated and throws the tiles around or wipes out the table in rage.
Domino game is perfect for this issue. It can be played quickly and always has an end to it.
So, when I think of the DOMINO name for my consulting structure, I express the following values I think are important for businesses :
- keep it simple
- think ahead
- decide on a strategy
- place all your tiles
- aim to be the first
- finish
So, why did I not decide to call my structure DOMINO? What meaning was lacking to the domino effect and the domino game rules? Why did I add a figure to the name? Why 28?
Let me give out a hint before you read more….
