Employee Spotlight – Marlon Richardson
In this edition of the Employee Spotlight, we talk with Marlon Richardson, Safety Manager for Cisco-Eagle. We caught up with Marlon to discuss the philosophy of the “invisible win,” his journey from the Coast Guard to the ESOP, and the intuitive rhythm of a safe warehouse.
Every career has a direction. What was the specific pull that brought you to Cisco-Eagle?
When I came across the job posting, I didn’t know much about the company, but as I researched the website, I saw it was an ESOP. I’ve worked with employee-owned companies before, so I knew the benefits and the structure. Seeing the quotes from other owners made me think, “Okay, this could be a good move.” When the choice came down between Cisco-Eagle and another company, it was an easy decision.
When you walk into a warehouse, what is the first non-verbal cue that tells you if a crew is actually safe or just following orders?
One of the first cues is when people don’t get rattled. If I walk in and everyone stays calm and continues their work, that tells me they are confident in their training. If I see people scrambling or looking over their shoulders just because the “safety guy” is there, it means they are just following orders. A safe crew has a flow that doesn’t break when I walk into the room.
You’re working to make sure every employee-owner goes home in the same condition they arrived at the job site. How do you keep that weight from becoming too heavy for you?
I think for me it’s always about remembering the why I got into safety, and it helps me relieve that weight. I don’t let it bear down on me because I know if I continue to push the message of working safely and get leadership to buy into that message, it makes my job easier from a safety standpoint.
What is a truth about leadership you learned on the football sidelines that you use every day at Cisco-Eagle?
Coaching and safety are the same thing. You are teaching, you are observing, and you are correcting. On the football field, you have to be prepared for anything with a situational awareness mindset. I take that from my time in the Coast Guard, too. You have to be prepared at all times because things can happen quickly.
It’s that merger of teamwork and leadership where you can have that title, but at the same time, to truly get the respect of the team, you have to be in the work with them.
In your role, you sometimes have to stop progress to ensure protection. How do you handle the tension of being the person who hits the brakes when everyone else wants to go?
You have to be ready for those battles. Safety and operations always have a foundation of mutual respect, but friction is natural. I look at it this way: we save the company money by keeping everyone safe. When you have to hit the brakes, it is for a reason. Safety usually doesn’t step in unless a hazard is imminent.
When that happens, you have an obligation to step in. It isn’t just about stopping production. It is about hitting the brakes so you can create a teaching moment.
As an employee-owner, how does that concept change the way you approach a safety violation compared to someone in a traditional corporate environment?
The mindset is just different. Across the board, you don’t want anyone to get hurt, but as an owner, you see the impact from a holistic standpoint.
In an ESOP, an injury is a much bigger hit than it is for a giant corporation. You are looking at the financial burden of claims, but you are also looking at the loss of manpower. Every person here brings a specialized skill to the table. When an owner is sidelined, it hurts the entire company more than it would a big corporation. By enforcing a rule, you are protecting our collective success and the people who make it happen.
Who is Cisco-Eagle?
Cisco-Eagle is us. It’s every employee-owner. From the CEO down through every department, everyone has a part to play. The company wouldn’t be anything without the people.
Evan Fleishacker is a Marketing Strategist at Cisco-Eagle. You can find him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/evanf