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IC Alumnus publishes
unique research study
SPRING
2012
25
Dr.
Ziad A Zennie ‘69
co-authored a recent research study
on the perennial topic of leadership. His book, Developing
Multicultural Leaders (2010), is based on a unique research
as it represents the first fully fledged empirical study of its
kind based on interviewing 310 successful leaders from
129 organizations in 12 countries in the Middle East.The
practical implications of the study are substantial: CEOs,
senior executives, and human resource professionals will find
important recommendations on how best to recruit, select,
assess, develop, and motivate future managers and leaders.The
authors (Zennie and Dr. Farid A. Muna) tackle five questions:
What influence do early childhood years have on leadership
development and success?
What are the specific life experiences that contribute to leader-
ship success?
How do leaders with potential become outstanding?
What critical paths must leaders follow on their journey to
success?
What must great leaders do exceptionally well to become
and remain outstanding?
A team of eight Meirc consultsants assisted the authors
in data collection for this field-based research.The book was
published by Palgrave Macmillan in the UK.
boy was assigned a private room at Sage
Hall but, to his surprise, he had to share
a communal shower with all the other
students. “I was very embarrassed at the
beginning,” he recalls laughing. “Then I
got used to it.”
During his first day at IC, he recalled how
he felt lost and “very hungry,” he recalled.
“I didn’t know where I was supposed to
eat or if there was food on campus. Final-
ly, someone told me to go to the football
field to the fence (where today’s Penrose
building is) and shout out for food.”
A “Walid” sold sandwiches there. “It was
a while before I figured out there was a
cafeteria on campus,” he laughed.
In 1956, the buildings suddenly began to
shake. Students ran out in fright to the
football field. Someone started shouting
that fire was coming out of the sea. “I
looked and looked at the sea but didn’t see
any fire,” recalled Jabara.
The earthquake destroyed a big part of the
old city of Sidon, killing over a hundred
people, and destroyed thousands of build-
ings. “IC’s buildings were well built,” said
Jabara. “No one here got hurt.”
One day, his grandfather showed up to IC
in his Cadillac. He stood by the gate and
began to yell out “Issam, ya Issam”. The
gatemen, Ali and Sharif, finally figured
out that the call was for Jabara.The boy
had complained that the mattress was not
comfortable. His indulgent grandfather
had brought him another one.
Still, Jabara wanted more than the usual
allowance. He astutely wrote a sweet
letter to his uncle residing in the US “just
to check on him,” and in return received
$300.
“I was rich indeed now!” said Jabara, who
kept his treasure a secret and handed the
money to IC’s cashier for safekeeping.
The boy spent much of his free time go-
ing to the movies at the Cinema Rivoli
(downtown) and even attended a Dalida
concert in 1953.
A favorite pastime was the strictly
chaperoned parties held at the president’s
house, the cafeteria, and other various
buildings. Girls were brought over from
ACS and ASG (the American School for
Girls – now demolished).
Jabara stares silently at the Sage Hall
window for a little while longer. He fi-
nally turns away. “It’s time to go,” he says.
“Thank you for your time.”
He makes his way through the bustling
students and slowly walks out of the
IC gate.
“This was my home for years,” he says. “I was sent
here because my grandfather wanted the very best
education for me.”