Case Studies
- Why was Anthony Rossi an effective Christian leader? Because of his faith? Because of his business skill? Because of hard work?
- If Tropicana had not been as successful as it was, would Anthony Rossi have been a failure as a Christian leader?
- Read Exodus 3:1-14 and 4:10-16. Do we sometimes try to excuse ourselves from leadership responsibilities as did Moses? How did God promise to support Moses in leading Israel? Does God support Christian leaders today in similar ways?
- Read John 13:12-17 and Luke 22:24-27. How do these passages reinforce our understanding of Christian leaders as servants? Whom are we serving?
- Read Galatians 5:22-23. Should a good leader cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in him or herself? Do these characteristics seem like a strong foundation for leadership?
- On page 194 the authors suggest that Christian business leaders are important as symbolic models. Will Christian leaders be held to higher standards of behavior than non-Christians? How do non-Christians react to Christian leaders who fail either personally or professionally?
- Professor Robert Gorter, Taylor University, suggests that we should be Christian Tigers; leaders who are aggressively, competently pursuing positions of influence in society. Does this idea complement or contradict the concept of servant leadership?
- Read the following quote:
"Organizational charts usually picture the leader at the top, with meaningful interaction flowing primarily downward. I would like to suggest that the structure should be an inverted triangle, showing the roots as the basis of leadership in the serving posture and demonstrating that an organization builds on its base, or from its roots. The implication of this is that leadership is primarily an enabling—and therefore a serving—function; a function which meets the needs of other individuals, provides tools, eliminates excuses for non-performance, provides equity, opportunity, and identity, enables information to flow and therefore connects. In other words, leadership through serving makes the organization coherent."
Would we, as Christians, be wise to see leaders as the bottom of an inverted triangle of employees? - Typically textbooks discuss two types of leadership styles, task oriented and employee (relationship) oriented. The task-oriented leader focuses on working with and through people to be efficient and productive. The employee-oriented leader focuses on employees happiness, satisfaction, and personal needs. Can both styles be Christian?
MIXING FAITH AND ORANGE JUICE
Anthony T. Rossi, at the age of 21, stood on the deck of a ship in 1921 entering New York Harbor from Italy. He called out, "There she is!" as he sighted the Statue of Liberty with the thrill only an immigrant can know arriving in America for the first time.
Although he came from a family of nine children, he was able to earn a dollar each ten-hour day, and within a few years owned taxicabs, a grocery store, farm, cafeteria, large restaurant, and citrus packing plant. In 1947 he founded Tropicana Products, Inc., that became the largest fresh-chilled orange juice company in the world.
God guided Anthony Rossi to use Christian principles in his growing citrus industry. A commitment to top-quality products and to irreproachable honesty and fairness in dealing with his employees was paramount. He also desired fair dealings with those who were competitors in the orange juice business. This businessman daily communed with Jesus Christ, taking everything to the Lord in prayer and always giving God glory for the solution to difficult problems and the development of new ideas. All this, along with consistent reading of the Scriptures and obedience to God's leadership.
In the last ten years under Rossi's leadership, Tropicana doubled its profits every two and a half years and counted among the second five hundred industries in the United States showing the greatest progress, even heading that list.
Yet Anthony Rossi, recipient of so many honors and public acclaim, remained humble, approachable and ever thoughtful. He became a hero in the town of Bradenton, where twenty-eight hundred of its citizens held jobs at Tropicana. What was the background of this immigrant youth from Italy that would eventually see him as the founder, president and chairman of the board of Tropicana Products? Who without formal education was to move tons of fresh orange juice to the markets of American by ship as well a mile-long trains equipped with special refrigeration equipment that he developed? What was there in the childhood experiences and family background that equipped this giant of industry to such achievement and prepared him to be a Christian concerned for a world without Christ? To eventually found the Aurora Foundation that has generously given funding to assist Christian educational institutions, Christian missions, and other charities? Christian Entrepreneur, Anthony T. Rossi, is a book that will help you understand how God takes a willing heart, such as Anthony T. Rossi's, and with it develops a servant-leader through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
The following study it to be used in conjunction with Christian Entrepreneur, Anthony T. Rossi, InterVarsity Press, 1986, by Sanna Barlow Rossi. This book can be purchased directly from InterVarsity Press by calling 1-800-843-9487.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Mixing Faith and Orange Juice
Exploring the Bible
Contemporary Comment
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