wn significantly since its creation. Originally a predominantly family-run business, Mr. Mubarak has begun to hire non-family members for kitchen and dining room positions. Most of the employees at the restaurant are themselves from the Middle East and are fluent in both English and Arabic. This has resulted, says Mr. Mubarak, in a sense of community and cooperation among workers and has also affirmed the ethnic orientation of the restaurant. Mr. Mubarak characterized his establishment as a casual rather than a fine dining establishment. Mr. Mubarak stated that he handles such functions as purchasing, staff management, kitchen oversight, bookkeeping and payroll, and interactions with suppliers and vendors. However, he has a head cook and a waiter who is designated as "in charge" of the front of the house.
When asked to describe his philosophy of leadership, Mr. Mubarak said that he believed that a key characteristic of the effective leader was the ability to develop the talents and skills of those with whom he works. Bennis and Goldsmith (1997) contend that leaders develop, innovate, and investigate potentials. Managers, in contrast, simply administer processes, maintain a status quo, and accept reality as it is presented to them.
Mr. Mubarak also claimed that in developing his leadership philosophy, he considered questions such as how one learns to balance the need for control of a small business with the need to ensure that staff members will feel empowered and validated. He suggested that he initially found it difficult to allow his staff to become innovative in the kitchen and in the dining room. He said that he brought to his business a number of beliefs, values, and preconceptions that, over time, he has had to modify. Abraham Zaleznik (1998) pointed out that managers, unlike leaders, tend to adopt impersonal strategies and to view work as an enabling process. Leaders, in contrast, recognize that satisfie...