Johannes Duijzer is at the helm of Sunrock, a developer of solar energy projects on rooftops, land and water. Duijzer co-founded the company in 2012. Sunrock has since grown from a team of five to 150 employees and has expanded its operations into Germany and France.

In this episode of The Work Professor, Duijzer shares how his leadership style differs from the unorthodox approach of leaders such as Elon Musk. For example, the ceo of Tesla, SpaceX and X believes that as a leader, you shouldn't strive for employees to like you. Because then your company will never become disruptive enough.

'I do believe that,' says Duijzer. 'Being liked is too comfortable. And that doesn't go along with real change. But I do think you have to be able to connect. That's something else.

Another of Musk's statements is that camaraderie at work is disastrous, because against friends you don't dare be as strict. Duijzer clearly thinks otherwise. 'My best friends are the people who also say to me: what are you doing? I really begrudge Elon other friends.'

Three takeaways from the podcast:

1. Leadership is constantly evolving: Duijzer emphasizes that change is the only constant in leadership, and how important it is to be flexible and adapt your style to the needs of the team.
2. Space for team growth: Unlike micromanagement, creating space for others is essential for innovation and collaboration.
3. Culture of trust: Strong relationships within teams, built on mutual trust, are crucial for long-term success and effective collaboration in challenging times.

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