Imagine Being Tom Cruise's Safety Guy

Imagine this: You're at a BBQ, the smoky aroma of sizzling steaks wafting through the air, a cold drink in hand. Someone leans over and asks, “So, what do you do?” You pause, the corner of your mouth curling into a sly smile, and say, “I’m Tom Cruise’s Safety Guy.” Cue jaws dropping. That’s not just a conversation starter—it’s the mic drop of BBQ small talk.

Now, let’s dig into that. What makes that statement so powerful? It’s not just the association with A-list adrenaline junkies like Tom Cruise or Matt Damon; it’s what it says about the kind of Safety Professional you are. You’re not the so-called "safety police," the naysayer waving a red flag every time the stakes rise. You’re the enabler, the problem-solver, the one who makes the impossible possible—safely.

In an interview, Matt Damon once joked about how Tom Cruise went through Safety Guys like a Hollywood diva might go through wardrobe changes. Why? Not because Cruise disregards safety, but because he demands excellence. He doesn’t want someone to tell him “no.” He wants someone who will say, “Here’s how we do it safely.”

Safety and Risk: The Ultimate Balancing Act

That’s the essence of high-performance teams. Whether it’s Formula 1, the All Blacks, or elite military units, these teams don’t settle for "safe" in its most basic sense. They accept that risk is inherent in greatness. The role of safety professionals here isn’t to strip away risk—it’s to manage it, mitigate it, and communicate it so clearly that the mission can move forward with confidence.

Think about it: If we avoided all risks, humanity would still be staring at the birds, wondering what it’s like to fly. The Wright brothers didn’t have a "safety guy" telling them to stay grounded, but if they had, the right one would’ve been the person who said, “Let’s test it, refine it, and ensure you live to tell the tale.” That’s the kind of Safety Professional who inspires respect, not jokes about safety police.

The High-Stakes Difference

I know this firsthand. I’ve worked in military parachuting—a world with no singular “safety guy” overseeing jumps. Yet, the level of risk management, preparation, and precision in those environments makes them safer than walking down some city streets today. That’s because in high-stakes environments, everyone takes ownership of safety. It’s woven into the fabric of what they do.

The same principle applies to us as safety leaders. When we approach safety as a shared responsibility and focus on enabling, not obstructing, we transform how we’re seen. Suddenly, we’re not just the people pointing out hazards; we’re the ones making sure the mission gets done—safely, yes, but also spectacularly.

A Brand of Confidence and Care

So here’s to the Safety Professionals who stand at the crossroads of risk and reward. The ones who enable jaw-dropping stunts, groundbreaking innovations, and awe-inspiring feats. You’re the linchpin of every high-performing team, the quiet confidence behind every great achievement.

Let’s keep redefining what it means to be a Safety Professional. Let’s shed the fluff, the bureaucratic nonsense masquerading as controls, and double down on genuine care. Because when we do our jobs right, we’re not just protecting lives—we’re elevating them.

?? Safe. ?? Stuntman Approved. ?? BBQ Legend.