Do we have leaders or firefighters?

For many managers, the title stays the same while the job becomes harder. Directors and unit heads are already delivering on targets and sustaining operations in demanding environments.

The real test begins when the role expands beyond the team. As decisions begin to cut across departments and stakeholders, technical expertise alone is no longer enough to move things forward. Without stronger leadership capability, managers can find themselves trapped in firefighting mode: resolving issues as they appear, managing tensions after they escalate, and relying on personal effort to keep work moving. Those who move past that pattern are usually the ones who have learned to lead beyond their function.

Leading beyond the function requires a different skill set. It means aligning teams that do not report to them, managing resistance to change, and maintaining trust while pushing for results. These skills show up in the moments between formal decisions: difficult conversations, competing priorities, and the need to influence without relying on authority. Unlike technical expertise, they are rarely picked up by default. They need to be built deliberately.

Managers who build them spend less time in firefighting mode. They lead with consistency,

earn credibility across the organization, and create the conditions for teams to perform, not simply comply.

The Executive Leadership Program at AUC Onsi Sawiris School of Business Executive Education is designed for managers at this stage. Across nine blended sessions, the program covers leading change, collaborative leadership, coaching as a management tool, and self-awareness.