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It’s not only when caught up in armed robberies that I’m able to call upon a day’s training with the British Army in this invaluable skill. And it’s not only business leaders and military personnel who gain from the advantages of Situational Awareness. Racing cyclists can also benefit. Zooming out from an unfolding scenario of armed robbers and terrified customers during an eventful trip to fill the car many years ago, I quickly concluded that the cashier’s panic button and imminent arrival of the police meant there was no need to be a hero when staring down the barrel of a sawn off shotgun. The safety of everyone present was the priority. A petrol station robbery seems far removed from a boardroom or a bike race, so why am I describing it in an article for the new Brother Cycling LinkedIn page? The simple truth is that Situational Awareness is of equal value in these three very different environments. Trained awareness of the body’s reaction to demanding scenarios – raised testosterone levels, increased heart rate and a neurological response that floods the bloodstream with adrenaline – can help you to control it. The ability to watch real life events unfold in slow motion might make a Marvel Comics’ superhero jealous. By developing the skill of Situational Awareness however, we can gain the detachment necessary for calm observation and positive intervention. In business and on the bike, in the peloton and the boardroom - and sometimes even at the petrol station - Situational Awareness delivers a keen advantage. Many strategies for optimal performance in high-stress scenarios derive from the military, sport or professions where safety is paramount like flying or oil platforms. It is a standardised framework for decision making, developed to overcome cognitive dissonance and bias in high pressure/risk situations. Its primary purpose is to reduce the capacity for flawed decision making. Elite-level bike racing is a fast-paced environment, fraught with the danger of high-speed crashes. While the significance of an air crash far outweighs a pile up in the peloton, the benefits of Situational Awareness to a racing cyclist are clear. Holding position in a fast-moving and constantly shifting pack of a hundred riders or more demands intense focus and calm detachment, if a rider is to remain upright. There is a wider context in which its advantages can be felt, however. Sports directors with domestic teams juggle a host of challenges, from sponsorship to sporting issues, but must also manage the human aspect of a cycling team. It is in this area that Situational Awareness has a more subtle application both in-race and away from the action. I use It frequently when making important decisions and when reviewing the performance of the people that I work alongside, it's surprising what may be influencing them. If a rider’s training data indicates physical potential for greater performances than those delivered, it could be that the issue is psychological or emotional. Are they facing trouble at home? A relationship break up? Concern for their fitness or weight? Or, as is often the case in the domestic sport, the challenge of balancing a sporting career with paid employment? Awareness of a rider’s personal situation can help a sports director provide the right type and level of support required to capitalise on their physical potential, for the benefit of the entire team. It is not only the manager who benefits from raised Situational Awareness. The road captain performs a complex role, applying a managerial perspective to the unfolding circumstances of a bike race. This impressive duality - riding and managing, simultaneously - is accomplished best by the peloton’s most experienced and astute riders who have mastered the art of reading a race and calculating multiple scenarios for every move. The reverse is also true. I’ve been in team cars observing riders with little or no Situational Awareness. Behaviour that exasperates the team manager and infuriates the mechanic indicates a decided failure to grasp the impact of their demands. The negative effect on morale is increased when they are made mid-race. In the business world, Situational Awareness has applications ranging from the personal to the corporate. Keeping a watching brief on your own health, stresses, workload and life away from work. I’m always alert to factors that could inhibit my decision making; the most important of my responsibilities at Brother UK. Situational Awareness is applicable also to people management. If the temperature of a meeting is rising and tempers are flaring, it helps me to avoid becoming caught up in the dynamics of the room. Instead, I can perform a calm, detached analysis: is this a personality clash rather than a strategic issue? (Scenarios of this type can also be managed effectively by use of the OODA protocol: Observe, Orient, Decide, Act). If the distance between an aircraft cockpit and the cockpit of a racing bike seems great, and greater still perhaps to the boardroom, then be assured that the advantages of Situational Awareness are of equal value in each of these diverse environments - and perhaps greatest of all when caught in the midst of a petrol station hold up!