Zoran Grabovac

When Zoran Grabovac, EdD ’22, was young, he often heard his father, a professional athlete and soccer coach, stress the importance of “mental toughness.” Later, as a college and professional volleyball player, Zoran continued to hear, “Mental toughness, be mentally tough, persevere through this moment, play through the injury, etc.” Zoran’s childhood in war-torn Bosnia and his sports background instilled lessons of resilience and adaptability. These experiences laid the foundation for his business success and fueled his passion for continued learning and growth.

Years after hanging up his volleyball jersey, Zoran found himself working in the privacy area for John Deere at their world headquarters in Moline, Illinois. He supports the business to comply with privacy laws and internal policies worldwide and preserve the trust of customers, employees and other stakeholders. A desire to keep growing and developing professionally and personally prompted Zoran to consider pursuing a doctoral degree.

Zoran was drawn to Creighton University’s online Doctoral Program in Interdisciplinary Leadership by its relevance. “I believed in the structure of the program. It was very focused on practical application of theory instead of just studying the theory itself.” The ability to apply what he would learn to real-life leadership challenges is what attracted Zoran to the program. “Another aspect I appreciated is that the program teaches you how to think, not what to think, and to critically evaluate whatever the topic may be.”

Zoran believes the EdD program challenged and exposed him to previously unexplored ways of thinking, communicating, decision making and leading. He credits it with making him better professionally.  “Decisions are made with a comprehensive review of the impact on stakeholders such as the organization, communities, employees, the environment, customers and others who may be impacted. We all share an ecosystem, and balance is needed for the ecosystem to continue to be healthy and thrive.”

For his dissertation, Zoran explored the connection between mental toughness and openness to diversity, a topic that resonated from his personal experiences and current issues like the divisions experienced in the US within the last decade and the struggle to achieve broader social and economic equality. And he found the two were connected. “People who were higher on mental toughness were also higher on openness to diversity. Now, there could be many different factors of why that is, but this is the start of putting the puzzle together and potentially finding the solutions to bring people closer together despite the differences that may exist.”

“My dissertation, in a direct way, didn’t really have anything to do with my professional life. What connected me was really on a personal level. And I think that’s why I saw purpose and meaning in it. Research broadens your perspective, and you start to understand people and events based on their past experiences.”

The concept of mental toughness has been ingrained in Zoran since his earliest days and manifests in his perseverance and adaptability. The openness to diversity he studied helps him relate to colleagues, clients and contacts globally. According to Zoran, the program’s learnings provide knowledge that can be used to support career and personal growth.

For those considering a similar academic journey, Zoran emphasizes that “there is likely no perfect or better time to start.” His advice? “Just jump right in. Enjoy the journey.” He adds that you can rely on “phenomenal” support from faculty and fellow students. He also advises clearly communicating your goals to family and friends so they understand the commitment required.

Creighton’s online doctorate in leadership can open doors to a remarkable career evolution. But more than that, it fosters profound personal growth, equipping graduates with the tools to make a lasting impact in their organizations and communities. As Zoran’s story illustrates, the program’s blend of practical application, interdisciplinary study and collaborative learning creates leaders who are not just knowledgeable but genuinely transformative.