Should you display your leadership prowess by being super-provocative and posting memes on Twitter like Elon Musk? Ummm, probably not. That said, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO does have a few intriguing pieces of advice that might be worth considering — especially if you're trying to advance your business skills. Laura Wood writes about a few of these in financial news blog Go Banking Rates.

Don't be afraid of constructive criticism Musk once explained in 2013 during a Google Hangout hosted by Google for Entrepreneurs. "Take as much feedback from as many people as you can about whatever idea you have," Musk said. "Seek critical feedback. Ask them what's wrong. You often have to draw it out in a nuanced way to figure out what's wrong."

Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty either. During the same Google Hangout, Musk said, "You've got to do all sorts of jobs and tasks that you might not wish to do, that are not intrinsically interesting to you. You've got to be prepared to do whatever it takes, work whatever hours. No task is too menial. I think that's the right attitude for the CEO of a startup."