Situational Awareness, the invisible weapon that is often overlooked

When we sit in the cockpit, moving through the airspace at hundreds of kilometres per hour and having to make decisions in fractions of a second, there is one skill that is decisive above all others: situational awareness. The ability not only to know where you are, but also what is happening around you, how the situation is evolving and what may come next. For us as pilots, this is literally life saving.

In everyday life, and certainly in the workplace, people often think they have a good overview. Emails are under control, calendars are full and meetings are scheduled. But true situational awareness goes far beyond managing the here and now. It requires you to notice signals others miss, think ahead in scenarios and stay sharp, even as pressure and distraction increase. That is exactly what is often underestimated. We get caught up in details, tasks and short term goals, causing the broader context to fade, only realising afterwards that a risk or opportunity had been announcing itself for some time.

For us as pilots, situational awareness is the core of safe and effective operations. It is the difference between a controlled landing and a missed opportunity. It is not just about reading instruments, but about connecting the dots. How is the weather changing, how is my crew responding, what does this mean for the next phase of the flight? That ability to anticipate, to look ahead while maintaining overview, allows us to make the right decisions under pressure.

The same applies on the work floor. In a boardroom, within a project team or in the dynamics of a busy operation, situational awareness is just as critical. It helps you move from reacting to anticipating. It allows you to recognise tensions in a team before they escalate, spot market developments before competitors act, and sense when a decision needs more support. In a time where change is the only constant, situational awareness makes the difference between chasing events or setting course with agility.

The good news is that situational awareness is not a gift, but a skill that can be developed. We train it continuously by practising scenarios, reflecting on our own actions and applying feedback immediately. In business, the same principles apply. By consciously paying attention to context, not just tasks. By asking questions instead of making assumptions. And by inviting team members to share their observations and concerns.

Situational awareness may seem invisible, but those who develop it notice the impact everywhere. It creates calm, clarity and better decisions, whether you are flying an aircraft or leading an organisation.