Situational awareness is a skill not many people master – but it could end up saving your life. And even when you’re not in a scary scenario, it can mean the difference between spotting a life-changing opportunity or letting it fly by unnoticed.
What is situational awareness?
Knowing your surroundings will keep you safe, relaxed, and focused.
It’s a skill that involves looking, listening, and analyzing your physical and social surroundings. It primarily concerns your safety and ensures your environment allows you to enjoy what’s happening, whether it’s a client meeting or a sold-out concert.
Be Fully Present
There are steps you can take to make sure you are situationally aware. The first step is to be fully present. This means being conscious and noticing what is happening around you.
Take notice if someone is following you or the crowd’s mood shifts from friendly to not-so-friendly. Always follow these tips:
- Be aware of who may be in the back of you. Turn around and look back from time to time.
- Be aware of your surroundings — where you parked your car, who are walking in front or beside you, dialog going on between others, and if you spot a gun or other weapon.
- Find all exit points. Find an alternative way to leave the area, especially if you need to leave quickly or if a large group of people may be blocking a typical exit.
- Identify potential assistance. Notice any law enforcement or security personnel who may be in the area. Go to them first if you see or hear anything suspicious.
- Utilize environmental aids. Use reflective surfaces or window reflections to unobtrusively watch what may happen in and around your personal space. Use your phone to record videos of suspicious activity.
- Limit your phone time. Keep your phone in your purse or pocket when moving. While it is tempting to see what others are doing on social media and answer a text or phone call, it can wait until you are safely back home or at work.
Trust Your Gut
Your intuition is powerful, so utilize it to enhance your situational awareness. If something doesn’t feel right, most likely, it isn’t. Note your environment, what is happening, and who may be around you. If something doesn’t feel right, take action to change the situation. Always err on the side of caution.
Learn More About Situational Awareness
That sense of awareness—and understanding what to do when you get a gut feeling about something dangerous—is vital to situational awareness. We want to help prevent accidents, hazardous events, or harm to your person.
Situational awareness can save lives! Learn more with Tim’s Talk How to Successfully Invoke Situational Awareness. Please contact Tim to schedule this critical talk for your organization today!
