The 60 Second Podcast
Big insights. One question. 60 seconds.
Hosted by TEDx speaker and 3X founder Matt McCoy, this podcast delivers fast, punchy interviews with the world’s top leaders — from billion-dollar CEOs to bold startup founders.
Each episode asks one powerful question to uncover the mindset, tactics, or story behind game-changing success — all in under a minute.
Perfect for ambitious listeners who want real answers, really fast.
The 60 Second Podcast
Jon Kronemeyer – President, dahl Valve Limited
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What leadership belief do you need to unlearn to grow?
In this episode of The 60 Second Podcast, Jon Kronemeyer shares the leadership lesson that changed everything for him.
Early in his career, Jon believed great leadership meant being close friends with his team - building personal, buddy-style relationships outside the office. But as his responsibilities grew and accountability became critical, he realized that blurred boundaries made candid conversations far more difficult.
Jon unpacks the tension between connection and accountability, the importance of drawing clear lines as a leader, and how to maintain strong relationships without sacrificing honest feedback.
If you lead a team - or aspire to - this conversation will challenge how you think about culture, coaching, and tough conversations.
00:00 – 00:04
What leadership belief did you have early on that you had to unlearn?
00:04 – 00:27
For me, the biggest thing was I had to almost become friends with my team members. I had to get close to them. I had to have a personal relationship to a degree outside of the office — hang out, have a buddy-buddy kind of relationship. And that was the first mistake that I learned in leadership.
00:27 – 00:55
Only because when you get to that level and you're trying to hold people accountable, and you're trying to lead them and coach them and mentor them, having candid conversations becomes a heck of a lot more difficult when they view you as a friend — or closer than a boss, if you will, or a leader. It becomes challenging.
00:55 – 01:22
And so for me, as I grew in my leadership journey and I started to take on larger teams, I started to have to separate. Having good relationships with my team members — nothing wrong with that. Having a personal relationship where you could have a bite to eat or have a beer after work — great.
01:22 – 01:45
But you had to be able to draw the line in the sand, still be able to give them candid conversations or candid feedback, and be able to separate the two. And that was the one lesson that I had to unlearn pretty quickly in my leadership journey.
