The Value of Difference

As someone coming from a sports management background, commencing my Master of Management degree at The University of Sydney Business School earlier this year was a daunting prospect.

During the first week I even suffered from the perception that because of my particular background, I maybe wasn’t quite as capable as the other students, who I assumed would have far greater knowledge about business management in general. I needn’t have worried. I quickly learned that coming from such a different background to everyone else was actually a big plus, enabling me to bring different perspectives to the group assignments that we’ve worked on.

Those perspectives have been of particular interest to the rest of the cohort, who possess expertise in areas as diverse as finance, philosophy, and design. With my sports management pedigree having taught me a lot about teamwork and getting the best out of team members in a competitive environment, I’ve been able to contribute many useful insights to our group situations. At the same time, the experience and capabilities of others has also strengthened my own rapidly expanding knowledge base.

But the other great thing about the Master of Management degree is that it really opens your eyes to different possibilities. Prior to starting this course I’d never thought about things like starting a business or becoming an entrepreneur or going into consulting. These are now areas that I’m considering, possibly in combination with my sports management experience. Already I’ve come up with a whole lot of ideas that I never would have imagined otherwise. In the process of doing this course, I’m learning to step outside of the norm and to think outside conventional frames of reference. I’m learning the value of pushing the boundaries of possibility and making that space my own.

Author: Abby Veverka – Master of Management student