Leadership is like singing — some can be born with the natural ability, but most need to work on it in order to become great. When Maddie Hayes thinks of a great leader, it's someone that stands out from the crowd and makes decisions for the better of everyone else instead of just themselves.

Critical thinking is the ability to use intelligence, knowledge and skills to question and carefully explore situations and arrive at thoughtful conclusions based on evidence and reason.

Many leaders will tell you a large part of their job is helping employees overcome resistance to change. We often think of leaders as the instigators of change and employees as the obstacles. Yet few leaders realize how they subtly resist and block needed changes.

Some leaders appear to get things done effortlessly where others struggle to make progress. Often the secret is the strong relationships the leader has built.

MLK was many things: minister, activist, civil rights leader, speaker extraordinaire, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. But few would see him as a great model for business leaders.

To “fit in,” our skills need to match the skills required for a particular job, and our values and beliefs must be consistent with the values and beliefs held by others in a group or work setting. Research supports the importance of fit.

Cultivating meaningfulness at work is important because research shows that people are happier, healthier and more productive when they are doing “meaningful” work.

There is nothing like hearing positive, sincere words about your work. The performance enhancing value of praise and personal attention from the boss were uncovered in a McKinsey survey of 1,000 executives.

Research shows that perceptions of inequity are associated with lower job satisfaction, engagement, performance and mental health, as well as higher turnover. The opposite is true when workers feel they are treated equitably.

“Mindfulness,” defined as “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment,” has the potential to better our lives. It also can make you a better leader at work and home.