After 19 years as a first class cricketer and instant recognition from cricket fans the world over, what would make Australian bowling great Michael Kasprowicz want to commit to an MBA?
“I wanted something that would separate me from my peers, something that made a clear statement about my career intentions and what I wanted to do with the next stage of my life,” the decorated Queenslander told MBA News.
“As much as a learning vehicle to give me new skills the MBA sends a strong message that I’m committed to a career in business and committed to building new knowledge that enhances the many lessons I learned during my cricket career.”
Michael ‘Kasper’ Kasprowicz is Queensland’s all-time leading wicket-taker and became the youngest Director of the Cricket Australia board in August 2011.
In a 38-test career he claimed 113 wickets in 38 Tests before retiring in 2007-08 after playing a total of 115 first-class matches and taking 505 wickets.
Now 41, he is currently completing an MBA at the University of Queensland Business School where he is also a University of Queensland Goodwill Ambassador to India.
Additionally, Kasprowicz runs his own company that specialises in the facilitation of business relationships with Queensland interests nationally and internationally with a particular focus on facilitating strategic business relationships with India.
He said one of the most surprising aspects of the MBA to date has been a greater understanding of his own learning processes and applying them to everyday life.
“There have always been strong links between sport and business,” he said. “As a sportsman we were always trying to apply the knowledge and systems of business to improve our performance, but ultimately we got better through doing.
“The learning process in an academic environment is far more oral and structured… learning a new way of learning has been one of the biggest adjustments for me.”
One of the unexpected benefits of his MBA has been the opportunity to meet a range of new people from different backgrounds, but all with a common purpose.
“The great mix of people has been a real surprise,” he said. “As a part-time student I think you are always getting to meet new people.”
“The diversity of people I’ve met has been terrific. Everybody seems to have a different motivation, a different background or be in a different stage of their career.
“It provides a lot of opportunity to hear different perspectives.”
However, Kasprowicz believes ultimately the MBA is a simple process of individual differentiation in a competitive market.
He believes sport and business have a lot of parallels, a belief that has only been reinforced by his studies.
“I’m already using the lessons in my everyday life and I think (the MBA) is something that will continue to prove its worth for many years to come.”
