The VUCA world and the need to make quick decisions
The reality in which we live is exceptionally volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. We refer to it as the VUCA. Each of these characteristics affects our daily life. Volatility means sudden and frequent changes; uncertainty raises doubts; complexity makes judgment difficult; and ambiguity can lead to misinterpretations.
To keep up with the challenges of such a world, we must constantly adapt and make decisions – including important ones – quickly and accurately, often relying on incomplete information. Stressful circumstances can severely limit our perception and ability to analyze data and set priorities. This makes it even harder for us to consider all the factors affecting a situation and choose the right solution to a problem. The question is: how do we strike a balance between carefully considering various options and the need to react immediately?
With help comes situational awareness. Although this term may be associated mainly with uniformed services, it increasingly resonates in the public space, including everyday life and business activities.
Situational awareness – what is it?
The concept of situational awareness (SA) was formally defined in the 1990s by Dr. Mica R. Endsley, an American engineer and former Chief Scientist of the United States Air Force. Her theory describes three primary levels of SA formation, each associated with specific cognitive processes.
- Perception – what is happening? We gather data about our surroundings with our senses. For example, when driving a car, we see the traffic light turn red.
- Comprehension – why is it happening? We analyze the collected information based on our knowledge and experience. For example, we know that a red light is a signal to stop.
- Projection – what can happen? We predict future events or risks, such as other drivers missing a light change and braking at the last minute.
So, what is SA? In simplest terms:
Situational awareness is the ability to perceive elements of the environment, understand their meaning, and anticipate what might happen soon.
It is the basis for staying safe in changing conditions in real-time. It allows us to imagine unfavorable scenarios, react to them appropriately, and, at best, avoid them altogether. We generally use it instinctively – not only in emergency situations but in many aspects of life.
Internal security radar
Situational awareness plays a huge role in keeping us safe, both physically and digitally. It helps us pay attention to sudden changes in traffic, avoid poorly lit areas during an evening stroll, and avoid people who behave suspiciously or aggressively. In the digital world, SA, supported by cyber hygiene, allows us to recognize an unusual login or a phishing email. In the business context, we can combine situational awareness with risk management. It helps companies respond instantly to, for example, an intrusion into a company’s headquarters or a hacking attack – and minimize potential damage.
Being one step ahead
SA also makes it easier for us to be more flexible and maintain control of the situation. Imagine walking around and seeing a large group of people gathering in one place. It could mean something is happening: a concert, demonstration, or other event. With situational awareness, we anticipate a potential crowd or traffic jam and change our route to save time. In business, situational awareness works similarly but on a larger scale. For example, a company noticing a delay in the delivery of materials from a distributor quickly contacts an alternative partner before a competitor does. By acting on its observation of current events, a company can avoid downtime, maintain operational fluidity, and stay ahead of competitors’ reactions.
Stress relief and optimization
With situational awareness, we continuously analyze our surroundings and select only those stimuli or information that affect our operations. It is a kind of “mental filter.” It allows us to focus on the essential things, set priorities, and thus manage our time and energy more efficiently. For example, in the IT department, employees respond to many daily requests, from minor technical problems to significant system failures. Developed SA, supported by appropriate technologies, helps them assess which incoming tickets require an immediate response and which can wait. This optimization of work minimizes information overload and reduces stress.
Reading between the lines
Situational awareness is also the art of early perception of external social signals, such as the behavior of those around us. It allows us to become more sensitive to non-verbal signs of emotion, especially those that may cause concern. SA enables us to better understand the context of a situation and people’s intentions and anticipate their reactions – for example, noticing that someone is annoyed and talking to them will require a different approach. At work, leaders can more easily spot changes in typical employee behavior during a meeting with their department. This, in turn, allows them to catch the first signs of declining motivation, conflict, or burnout and then take the appropriate steps.
Why develop situational awareness, and what can support it?
As the examples show, SA is not a skill reserved only for special forces and crises. Anyone can use it to reap various benefits in everyday life and business. It sounds simple and probably more than once in the course of reading, you get the impression: “I already know how to do this.” However, how many times have we missed an obvious signal from the environment or reacted inappropriately or late? This may indicate that our SA level was inadequate for the situation.
In a world where we stare at phone screens and are distracted by an overabundance of stimuli, unconsciously limiting our ability to perceive relevant information, the problem is becoming more acute.
Misbehavior in a given situation that results from insufficient SA is one of the leading causes of accidents attributed to human error.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that about 94% of all car accidents in the US are caused by human error, and one of the most common forms of driver error is distracted driving.
- The majority of workplace accidents are due to workers’ poor situational awareness.
- SKYbrary notes that about 85% of aviation accident reports mention a loss of situational awareness.
- According to the Verizon Mobile Security Index 2022, 54% of cybersecurity breaches are caused by inadvertent employee actions, of which up to 96% carry serious business consequences.
When we fail to recognize the warning signs, we compromise our security and efficiency. We also often mistakenly assume that the absence of risks is a natural state. Meanwhile, without regular practice, we weaken our ability to perceive and understand, making it easy to get lost in emergency situations.
Is it possible to do something about it? Of course.
In business, SA is becoming increasingly necessary, not least because of the growing number of cyber threats. Modern systems and tools support SA by managing IT security and analyzing patterns, including monitoring and detecting potential threats or unusual activity. Such technologies provide users with real-time information and warnings, helping them make informed decisions.
Like other skills, situational awareness can be practiced and developed for personal use. No specialized equipment or specific circumstances are needed.
“Secret knowledge” of the military – Cooper’s Color Code
One way to improve SA is to establish a baseline: determining the state your mind is currently in. In doing so, the Cooper Color Code is often used. It was developed by Jeff Cooper, a US Marine, with the military in mind.
Today, it is also used by non-military sectors and anyone wanting to increase their security. This popular technique trains the mind to operate at different levels of consciousness/sensitivity, conventionally marked by colors.
| Color | White | Yellow | Orange | Red |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of consciousness | Unawareness | Relaxed awareness | Focused awareness | High alert |
| What does it mean? | Relaxed, not paying attention to the surroundings, unprepared and vulnerable to potential threats. | Awareness of surroundings and readiness to detect danger, but without feelings of panic or excessive stress. | Detecting the threat, watching the development of the situation and anticipating the consequences, considering possible responses. | Once a threat is detected; adequate response, full focus on the threat or emergency. |
| Where or when it is appropriate? | Only in a safe space (such as a home). | Best for everyday activities, especially outside the home, in public or unfamiliar places. | When noticing suspicious behavior or an unusual situation. | Transition to it only in a situation of immediate danger. |
The ability to move seamlessly between the described states and recognize which one is appropriate to the situation will allow you to respond better to unexpected events. It will also help you reduce unnecessary stress and keep you calm and balanced.
Practical tips: how else to develop situational awareness?
Developing SA is an elaborate process, especially in the uniformed services, where specialized training is conducted. It is a vast topic – while in everyday life, you can apply some simple techniques:
- Practice mindfulness in a variety of everyday situations. When walking, for example, consciously engage your senses in perceiving your surroundings and limit distractions (using a smartphone, listening to music on headphones, etc.).
- Memorize information about your surroundings. Pay attention to its elements in an unfamiliar place, especially escape routes, distances to important objects, or potential obstacles.
- Observe the norms for the place or situation. On an ongoing basis, compare elements of the environment and people’s behavior with them to catch changes or deviations more quickly.
- Take care to rest. Regeneration will help you maintain an appropriate level of concentration and attentiveness and reduce unreflective, risky actions “on autopilot.”
- Trust your intuition. Step back in situations that cause concern, even if you don’t see an immediate threat.
Reliable support for informed decisions in any situation.
Summary
Situational awareness is a valuable skill. It allows you to adapt to change continuously and operate effectively under changing or complex conditions. Although it does not automatically guarantee accurate decision-making, it supports recognizing relevant signals, assessing situations, or anticipating possible scenarios.
It is worth considering how often we consciously analyze events unfolding next to us – not forgetting cyberspace. Do we consciously consider system security, logins, or user actions? Do we have sufficient control over what happens on company devices and networks? Or do we miss something and only notice the consequences later?
After all, how well we know our surroundings affects our (cyber)security, professional success, and quality of life.