Meet the MR Roads founders: Honest, hilarious, and just a little offbeat

In an industry driven by pressure, deadlines and turnover, Daniel Mikus and James Rolph, cofounders of MR Roads, are proving that leading with old school values is not only refreshing, it is incredibly effective.

Their straight-talking leadership, built on respect, loyalty and action, has become the cornerstone of MR Roads, now Australia’s fastest growing roads infrastructure company. The business has earned a reputation not only for high quality project delivery but for building a culture where some 70 employees genuinely want to show up each day. “Over a number of years, we have seen leadership and management fads come and go including terminology that most people just tune out to,” Mikus said.

“People have just had enough. Trendy terminology is a smokescreen of jargon that sounds intelligent but says absolutely nothing. Just a parade of buzzwords that wastes time, confuses everyone and replaces clear thinking with corporate theatre.”

Rolph explained that their leadership style is different to a lot of people. “We draw on good old leadership values which emphasise the importance of saying things how they are. We use simple language that resonates with everyone and importantly allows them to participate in the conversation,” Rolph said.

Mikus and Rolph shared their top five leadership qualities that have helped them build a high performing and fast-growing company.

Word salad is out, say what you mean is in

“We use simple basic language and terms that everyone understands. The language is not meant to exclude people but rather to include everyone,” Rolph said.

“You won’t get any dance cards, wheelhouses, synergistic cross-functional alignment or parallel ideating here, just straight forward terminology and words that people use in their daily lives.

“It’s amazing how often people forget that the best leadership is usually the simplest. Say what you mean, listen more than you talk and always back your people. That’s what we do.”

Leadership do, not say

MR Roads has grown rapidly, with contracts across multiple states and a team that continues to expand. Mikus credits their growth to a no-spin leadership style and a culture of hands-on respect.

“We’re not reinventing the wheel. We respect our workers, we train them, we give them opportunities and we mean what we say. That builds loyalty and gets the job done,” Mikus said.

“We’re on site, we’re in it and we’re available. We are not stuck behind a desk sending emails all day. I know every crew member by name. That’s what real leadership looks like.

“We will both regularly join our team on site on projects and participate in the work. This is the only way to understand how things are progressing and the types of issues or challenges team members may be facing. We are in the trenches too.”

Time out allows for time up

Mikus and Rolph both work long hours and are passionate about what they do. Despite this they both make time for their own wellbeing and families.

Mikus loves the sea and one of his favourite ways to recharge is walking along the beach with his partner and kids. “It only takes a few metres of walking before my mind starts to loosen up and I start thinking clearly again. That time out gives me clarity and drive. It’s non-negotiable,” Mikus said.

Rolph enjoys hitting the gym, hanging with family and online gaming, especially games that involve building empires and civilisations.

Both Mikus and Rolph are blunt about the challenges facing the industry – labour shortages, burnout and a growing disconnect between decision makers and frontline workers. They believe the only way to maintain trust is through transparency.

“This industry can be tough. That’s why leadership has to be real. No jargon, no games. Our people know where things are at. We don’t sugar-coat anything. We deal in facts, openly and together,”

Rolph said. “We tell our people where things are at, what needs to shift and why. This is the only way to lead in a world where people and businesses are constantly being blindsided by challenges.”

Old style values, new energy

At the heart of MR Roads’ success is a powerful blend of traditional values and next-generation drive. “We’re bringing back the fundamentals of trust, hard work and honesty but we’re fuelling it with a new generation of commitment,” Mikus said.

Among the many things that make MR Roads’ culture different is how Mikus and Rolph decide who takes the weekend on-call duty. Instead of delegating or pulling rank, they settle it the old- fashioned way, with a quick game of scissors, paper, rock.

“It sounds ridiculous but it works. It keeps things fair and fun for both of us,” Mikus said.

Mikus and Rolph were recently named number 29 on the list of the Top 100 Young Entrepreneurs in Australia. They were also awarded Brisbane Young Entrepreneurs of the Year, reinforcing their impact and rising leadership in the infrastructure and construction space.