The word “strategy” has its roots in ancient Greece, referring to a general’s ability to plan, coordinate, and execute large-scale operations.
While Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) are not considered strategic experts in the traditional or academic sense, they apply strategic elements in tactical and operational decision-making.
In their work, ATCs demonstrate strategic thinking in areas including airspace management, conflict detection and resolution, sequencing and flow control, and adapting to change.
Although ATCs may not be strategic experts in the full-spectrum sense, they possess skills in situational awareness, risk assessment, real-time coordination, and decision accuracy, making them strategic thinkers.