Everybody needs feedback to learn and grow. Yet how many employees can say they get the feedback necessary to perform well at work and develop their skills for the future? Research indicates that it’s not anywhere near enough.

John Lincoln of Lincoln Electric believed his role as a leader was to create an environment where his employees would be encouraged to discover new ways for the company to improve and to bring those suggestions forward for his consideration. Any business leader could use this same approach today to lead continuous improvement.

We all need a “go-to” person when times are tough or when we encounter an ambiguous or political situation. A “go-to” person is someone we rely on for expert advice, knowledge or assistance in an important situation. They are reliable: they help us avoid pitfalls that we might overlook because we are too close to a situation and because they often possess complimentary skills to our own.

Management Professor Angelo Kinicki, provides his readers with the consequences of how not to implement laissez-faire leadership into business.

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. We are happier when we “fit in” because we feel a sense of belonging. We also are more likely to develop meaningful friendships because we share values with others in a group.

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