“What history’s great leaders can teach us about guiding today’s businesses”
Leadership and fire protection systems: a vision that makes its mark on history
We often hear the word leadership in business contexts, but what does it really mean to lead a company? And how does that leadership take shape in the fire protection sector?
It may seem paradoxical, but the teachings of Caesar and Charlemagne are still relevant today.
History shows us that great leaders — those capable of inspiring, supporting, and motivating — share universal traits that have endured through the centuries and still find resonance in today’s business world.
Leadership through shared experience
Julius Caesar is perhaps one of the most extraordinary examples of leadership in history. His secret lay not only in military genius, but also in his ability to form a genuine bond with his men.
Caesar slept outdoors with his soldiers, shared their modest meals, and, most importantly, constantly moved among the troops, all the while listening to them, motivating them, and conveying his vision to them. This physical and psychological closeness fostered such deep mutual trust that it translated into exceptional results on the battlefield.
In today’s business world, Caesar’s lesson, as both a man and a general, underscores the need for leaders to be present, approachable, and actively engaged in the day-to-day life of the company.
In the fire protection sector, where every detail can mean the difference between safety and danger, the leader’s presence becomes even more critical to uphold high quality standards and instill a shared sense of purpose.
The art of strategic delegation
Charlemagne, architect of the Holy Roman Empire, created a sophisticated system of strategic delegation that combined centralized control with local autonomy. His brilliance lay in building an administrative structure that relied on imperial envoys, trusted officials who monitored distant regions and ensured unity across the empire.
This organization allowed him to govern an immense territory for his time, showing that true leadership is not about doing everything yourself, but knowing how to delegate while retaining strategic control.
The lesson for today’s businesses is clear: growth requires solid organizational systems and the ability to share a clear vision with capable team members.
A lesson in leadership: Heineken
Heineken stands out as a remarkable case study: from a small family-owned brewery to a global multinational over the course of four generations. The story began in 1864, when Gerard Adriaan Heineken, at just 22 years old, purchased the De Hooiberg brewery in Amsterdam. Today, the company is led by Charlene de Carvalho, who inherited control at age 47 as part of the fourth generation. A lawyer and architect, and a board member since 1988, she has reshaped Heineken’s sustainability agenda, introducing ambitious environmental initiatives and goals.
Today, with Alexander de Carvalho, grandson of Freddy Heineken and son of Charlene, already appointed to the supervisory board, Heineken is moving toward its fifth generation of family leadership: an extraordinary milestone, considering that most family businesses don’t make it past the third generation.
The critical numbers behind generational transitions in family businesses
The latest data on generational change in Italian family businesses highlights the challenges of passing down leadership and vision.
Currently, 23% of family business leaders are over the age of 70, and 18% of these companies are expected to undergo a generational transition within the next five years. Even more telling is the survival rate: only 30% of businesses outlive their founders, and a mere 13% reach the third generation.
Family-run enterprises account for roughly 80% of Italy’s GDP, making this issue a vital concern for the national economy.
In the fire protection sector, where business continuity also ensures consistent, high-quality maintenance and support, these figures take on particular importance for public safety.
The ability to pass on not only technical expertise but also core values and a long-term vision becomes a critical factor in safeguarding collective security.
The importance of sharing the vision
Qualitative studies have found that most entrepreneurial families still don’t invest enough in ensuring that the next generation understands and values the principles and work ethic essential to the success of a family business.
This highlights the strategic importance of passing on values and not just technical skills.
Around 18% of Italian family businesses are expected to undergo a leadership change within the next five years, yet only 9% are actively preparing for that transition. This lack of preparation represents a systemic risk to the broader national economic fabric.
The Mozzanica case: a model of generational leadership
Mozzanica’s story stands as a prime example of how to apply historical leadership principles to the modern fire protection sector.
It all started in 1987, when the passion and entrepreneurial drive of the Mozzanica brothers led the company to take its first steps in the fire safety sector as a small, hands-on business specializing in the sale and maintenance of fire extinguishers.
Their hands-on work ethic, combined with the adoption of strict quality standards and a systematic approach to operations, enabled the company to manage some of the most innovative fire protection systems of the time. Year after year, it expanded its scope and steadily earned the trust of its target market.
The second generation: continuity and innovation
Today, Mozzanica is one of the few companies in Italy’s fire protection sector that is still entirely family-run, having successfully transitioned to the second generation. This achievement shows that the entrepreneurial vision can be successfully passed on when supported by solid organizational systems.
Both Jordan and Stacey Mozzanica believe that one cannot speak of true generational transition unless those succeeding the founder have started from the ground up, facing hard work, challenges, setbacks, and disagreements. Without this, the risk of failure is high.
Reaching the desired revenue is not just an economic milestone; it confirms that the leadership principles applied since the company’s founding continue to deliver results.
The strength of shared leadership
What truly sets Mozzanica apart is its ability to foster leadership at every level. The company has successfully distributed tasks and responsibilities, driven technological innovation, and faced market challenges with a consistently collaborative approach.
This strength in organization and management has enabled the company to overcome economic crises, regulatory changes, and technological challenges.
The internal cohesion it has built has attracted talent and expertise, creating a virtuous cycle that has led to increasingly ambitious results. Every goal achieved has reinforced trust in the company’s vision, boosting team motivation and strengthening its reputation with clients.
The future of leadership in fire protection
The digitalization of systems, increasingly strict regulations, environmental sustainability, and integration with smart cities are the new frontiers that fire protection leaders must face.
The lesson that emerges from success stories, from Caesar to Heineken all the way to Mozzanica, is that true leadership is born from the ability to share a vision, is developed through systematic organization, and is solidified by achieving concrete results.
In the fire protection sector, where every step of the control chain is decisive and even the smallest mistake can cost lives, there is no leadership without technical excellence, social responsibility, and the ability to innovate while holding fast to the core values of safety and quality.
Mozzanica continues to grow and solidify its standing as a model of family leadership in the fire protection sector, demonstrating that with the right combination of vision, organization, and shared objectives, even a small hands-on company can evolve into a national and international benchmark for Made in Italy. l