We’ve all seen the signs on the highway: “Slow Down or Move Over” when approaching flashing lights or construction. We’ve seen them but too often drivers pay little attention to the warning and speed by.
The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission added a twist to their signs in an attempt to give drivers pause and help them really think about the consequences of ignoring the message. It created a Memorial Sign Program that personalized the warning signs near the milepost where a turnpike worker or highway patrol officer was killed while on duty. By adding the name, Commission members sought to both honor those who were lost and prevent future tragedies.
Master teacher Parker Palmer said that the role of education was to create the intersection of the big picture and the personal story. The Ohio Turnpike achieved just that with its sign program. The strategy is one that you can use in your organization, too. By varying what is expected and breaking the routine you can cause people to pay more attention to messages that are typically ignored. Adding a specific tribute serves as a powerful way to convey the impact of the warning and takes it from the hypothetical to the very real. What can you do to move your story to become more personal?
Thanks, Ken!
