You’re already a good leader—but you want to be a great one. Here are the eight characteristics that draw the line between a good leader or a great one.

1. Great leaders do not manage people, they lead them. Just about anyone can manage others. Very few people are good at leading others. Leaders inspire and take risks. They aspire to make the workplace better not just for themselves, but for everyone around them. Great leaders don’t just direct other people, they make them better.

2. Great leaders are lifelong students. The benefits of being a lifelong learner cannot be overstated. Great leaders are always looking for ways to improve. The greatest leaders I’ve gotten to know aren’t just the boldest thinkers; they are the most insatiable learners. Those who think that they’re done learning once they leave school never better themselves. John W. Gardner, a legendary public intellectual and civic reformer — the architect of the Great Society under Lyndon Johnson and a celebrated Stanford professor, delivered a famous speech to McKinsey & Co., on “Personal Renewal.”  His message was that many leaders are more stale than we know and bored than we care to be.“ Boredom is the secret ailment of large-scale organizations,” Gardner stated. His advice was to strategically out-think the competition, develop a unique point of view about the future, get there before anyone else does, and never stop learning.

3. Great leaders do not manage people, they lead them. Just about anyone can manage others. Very few people are good at leading others. Leaders inspire and take risks. They aspire to make the workplace better not just for themselves, but for everyone around them. Great leaders do not just direct other people, they make them better.

4. Great leaders know that employees are their biggest asset. You are fully aware that the people that work for you are the most important part of your business, so you nurture them and ensure that they reach their full potential.

5. Great leaders support work/life balance. No one wants to work for someone that doesn’t seem to understand that they have a life outside of work. Leaders have their own lives outside of work and know that their employees will work harder and better if they’re allowed to attend to their own lives from time to time.

6. Great leaders listen. Listening is one of the most important skills that great leaders have. They know how to listen, how to make people feel heard, and how to actually take action on what they’ve been told. Amazon is a great example of this—they let their employees routinely pitch new products or ideas to the company and they actually use those ideas!

7. Great leaders foster the right culture. Each company is its own culture. That culture is your brand, according to Zappos CEO, Tony Hsieh. The culture becomes part of your brand. What do you want your culture to be? Figure out what your values are then align the entire organization around them.

8. Great leaders give trust. In order to earn the trust of your employees, leaders understand that they must first earn their trust. Leaders recognize that trust is truly a two way street.  At Toyota, employees are allowed to stop the production line when they sense something is wrong. Now, that’s trust!

9. Great leaders have higher emotional intelligence. Great leaders don’t panic in the face of adversity or stress—they meet it head on. They know what motivates people, they act like adults when there are issues, they remain humble, and great leaders keep their word by walking their talk consistently rather than when it’s most convenient.

Feel free to add your own elements of a great leader below. We truly believe our workplace is in need of more great leaders with strong values that employees can rally around and trust.