Lessons in leadership for rugby legend Thierry Dusautoir

Even at the commencing of his rugby union job, former France captain Thierry Dusautoir was pondering about the conclusion. “Being a experienced rugby participant is great — it is the most effective factor that has occurred in my life,” he suggests. But it can quit at any moment, he adds, regardless of whether for the reason that of harm or another person improved coming up, so you “need far more weapons, like researching, to have far more options”.

It could possibly now look shocking that another person so acclaimed ever worried about upcoming job prospects — or had time to. Even though Dusautoir, 39, did not enjoy rugby right up until his mid teenagers, to begin with preferring judo, he turned experienced in 2001 at 19, likely on to enjoy a thriving job with French clubs this sort of as Biarritz and Toulouse.

In 2006, he was known as up to the French nationwide team, earning eighty caps in an worldwide job that included some legendary moments. In 2010, he captained the French side to Grand Slam victory before main them to the 2011 World Cup final, which they misplaced to New Zealand’s All Blacks. He was also named Player of the Calendar year in 2011, the second Frenchman to acquire the worldwide title.

Dusautoir was captivated by the notion that an EMBA could assist him analyse the businesses to invest in, and improved guidance his have

But Dusautoir also observed pals battle for a few of yrs after leaving the sport though they labored out what to do next. “I just wanted to be the grasp of my life,” he suggests. With an eye on making certain he would in fact have “options”, in 2008 he invested in his very first enterprise, All My SMS, a text and voice messaging assistance. He now operates in small business improvement and technique for the system, along with investing in other, largely tech, businesses with a lover.

A dialogue with former worldwide teammates Frédéric Michalak and Sébastien Chabal — the famously hirsute “caveman” — opened up the next alternative. Michalak and Chabal both equally started EMLyon’s govt MBA in 2019. After listening to what they have been up to, Dusautoir was captivated by the notion that an EMBA could assist him analyse the businesses to invest in, and improved guidance his have.

“I went to EMLyon for the reason that I wanted educational tools to assist me just take decisions and have far more self-self-assurance when [I was] likely to deal with another person, talk about small business or do risk assessment of a enterprise,” he suggests. “I used to invest with my guts. Now I want to invest with my brain.”

A chemical engineering graduate, Dusautoir suggests it was “weird” likely back again to faculty in September after 15 yrs. But he is presently enjoying the networking and peer understanding that occur with an EMBA. “It is really fulfilling to fulfill men and women from distinct backgrounds who are starting off anything with you,” he suggests.

The perception of cohesion struck a familiar be aware early on for the duration of the class. Through the very first three-working day examine block, his bike was stolen though he was out with class mates for an night. He was amazed that everyone wanted to assist.

“I was like, ‘Wow, I have known you for a person working day and it really felt like anything that I experienced in rugby — the solidarity,” he suggests. “I felt that anything was starting off amongst [us]. I would not say thank you to the thief, but it was a moment that confirmed me that maybe I was having into a new team.”

It is really fulfilling to fulfill men and women from distinct backgrounds who are starting off anything with you

Dusautoir is presently understanding and reflecting on the lessons and his aged life. The very first block was on administration, a subject he is familiar with. He suggests he does not know that significantly about finance but “quite a bit” about administration as the captain of a team. It has been fascinating to take into account regardless of whether main a rugby team would have been less complicated with the knowledge acquired from the programme, he adds.

For illustration, there was a rough moment in the 2011 World Cup when the French side was almost knocked out. Although the way the team bounced back again alongside one another is a person of the proudest moments of his rugby job, Dusautoir suggests currently being the leader arrived at a particular value. “I was pondering that maybe if I had known this [about administration] at this time, would it have been less complicated? Would I have had far more strength for currently being a improved participant on the pitch? Simply because I misplaced a good deal of strength running the men,” he suggests.

Although his administration scientific studies created him reflect on his rugby job, he intends to use his encounter as an elite athlete to fulfill the requires of his EMBA. “I am likely to use the very same recipe as when I was a participant — so perform tough and check out to locate improved organisation with the loved ones,” he suggests. “My wife is with me: it is not my choice, it is a few choice and a loved ones choice. I believe that is likely to assist me a good deal in this, for the reason that you simply cannot do everything on your own.”

Tests situations: Frédéric Michalak

“I do not have any regrets, so that is a very good factor,” suggests Frédéric Michalak, Thierry Dusautoir’s former teammate, reflecting on a rugby job that spanned almost 20 yrs. It is easy to see why: in 2015, he finished his worldwide run as France’s main points scorer, with 77 caps, three Grand Slam victories and participation in three World Cups.

But in 2019 Michalak switched to costing, compliance and macroeconomics on an govt MBA at EMLyon. The preceding calendar year he co-started a new venture, Activity Unlimitech, an initiative to bridge investigate, sport and entrepreneurship to acquire sport tech, and began to take into account small business faculty. Apart from currently being “curious”, he suggests he desired new tools to progress.

People expertise are presently currently being place to the examination. As nicely as understanding a good deal from fellow college students, Michalak is placing his formal lessons to very good use. Just as the class included disruption, Covid-19 struck. Even if your small business objective was three to five yrs in advance, he suggests, you had to act now.

“I was blessed to be in faculty at the time,” he suggests, including that he desired to respond and generate a new small business design for Activity Unlimitech.

But his tips is to totally commit to the EMBA. “Do it for the reason that you want to do it and place a hundred per cent on that. It is likely to be tough,” he suggests, including that placing some dollars away is a very good notion as it is high priced.

An open intellect is also handy. “Travel, be curious, talk with men and women, check out items, do improper, master about that,” Michalak suggests. “You can master a good deal when you are dropping.”