From the Firehouse to the Classroom: Babson Helps Firefighters Strengthen Leadership Skills

Firefighters spend their careers making split-second decisions under pressure, leading teams through uncertainty, and solving problems when lives are on the line.

Now, Babson College is working with the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) to help first responders strengthen and expand those critical skills.

“These people are entrepreneurs,” said Kevin Sullivan, Babson’s vice president of strategic corporate relations and engagement. “Everything an entrepreneur does, they do. They deal with uncertainty. They’re problem solvers. They work as a team, and most of what they do requires quick action. They’re first responders, and they save lives.”

Working with IAFF General President Edward Kelly and Babson entrepreneurship faculty members Scott Taylor and Dwight Gertz, Sullivan began putting together Babson’s Top Gun Leadership Program last year. The three-day course gathers firefighters from across the United States and Canada for an intensive experience focused on leadership development, communication, and emotional intelligence.

Led by Gertz and Taylor, whose research provided the first academic model of entrepreneurial leadership, the program challenges firefighters to rethink what leadership looks like both inside the firehouse and within the union organizations they serve.

“The Babson College IAFF Top Gun Program fills an important gap in the skills needed to be a transformative union leader,” Kelly said. “Entrepreneurial thinking is critical as IAFF members hone their existing talents and develop the power of innovative thinking that serves them well on the fire ground, at their union office, and within the halls of government.”

The program marks Babson’s first collaboration of its kind with the IAFF, which represents roughly 360,000 members across North America.

Lessons in Entrepreneurial Leadership

The initiative grew out of conversations between Sullivan and Kelly, the former president of the Boston firefighters’ union who now leads the international organization.

“We started talking last year about doing a program for firefighters,” Sullivan said. “The focus was to provide leadership and organizational behavior training, and he loved the idea.”

The first cohort brought union leaders from across the United States and Canada to the Wellesley campus, including some who traveled thousands of miles to attend.

“The Babson College IAFF Top Gun Program fills an important gap in the skills needed to be a transformative union leader.”

IAFF General President Edward Kelly

“We actually had a guy drive from South Dakota,” Sullivan said. “They really enjoyed it.”

The program’s curriculum emphasizes self-awareness, intentional leadership, emotional intelligence, communication, and how to guide organizations through change. Participants also explored ways to better engage younger union members and strengthen collaboration across districts and locals.

The program shows that Babson’s innovative curriculum can be used to boost all kinds of organizations. For example, the College helped the Massachusetts State Lottery recoup millions of dollars through the B-AGILE: Government Leadership Program, which helped to reduce the number of instant lottery tickets sold out of order.

Split-Second Decision Making to Strategic Leadership

For many firefighters, the experience offered a rare opportunity to step back from the urgency of frontline work and reflect on how they lead others.

Andrew Hagenberg of Monmouth-Ocean, New Jersey, Local 3874, said the program challenged participants to examine leadership from a deeply personal perspective.

“For me, it really comes down to leadership from a people-first perspective,” Hagenberg said. “The program challenged us to take a really hard look at ourselves, how we lead, how we communicate.”

He also said the program strengthened relationships across the broader firefighting community.

“More than anything, the week at Babson, what it really did for me is it gave me an extension to our union family,” Hagenberg said. “It introduced me to leaders and friends from across both the United States and Canada that I might not necessarily have had the opportunity to build friendships with.”

Patryk Mierzejewski of the West Palm Beach Association of Fire Fighters, Florida Local 727, said the experience highlighted the importance of planning and coherence within the union.

“The program reinforced that strong locals and a strong IAFF don’t happen by accident,” Mierzejewski said. “They are built through strategy, clear communications, and leaders who are willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with their members.”

He added that investing in leadership development ultimately strengthens the entire organization.

“Programs like Top Gun remind us that when we invest in leadership and unity, we don’t just strengthen our locals, we make the entire International Association of Fire Fighters stronger all together,” he said.

Riley McManus of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was the firefighter who drove through nine states and a blizzard to Babson’s campus so he could take the course. McManus said the biggest benefit of the program was being able to apply what he had learned once he returned home.

“The most valuable part of the Top Gun program, for me, was learning what it takes to be a great leader in practice, not just in theory,” McManus said.

He said the experience already has changed the way he works with others.

“I’ve already begun asking for more help, pushing for more open and honest dialogue, and working to help build up the people around me,” McManus said.

A Network of Leaders

The positive feedback comes as future Top Gun programs are already in the works.

“Babson has earned its reputation as the leader in this life-changing educational model, and the IAFF looks forward to continued collaboration with its world-renowned faculty,” Kelly said.

Sullivan said the long-term goal is to expand Babson’s leadership training through both in-person and online learning opportunities so firefighters across North America can access the College’s entrepreneurial leadership model.

“At Babson College, we recognize the talents in these firefighters,” Sullivan said. “We want to give them the tools to maximize their entrepreneurial potential.”