Q: Am I a team leader or a team player? 

A: Even team leaders need to be team players, but there are certain attributes that make people feel more comfortable in a specific role.  No matter what role you play on a team, responsibilities should be clearly defined and all teammates should respect one another’s contributions.
■  A team leader must be capable and willing to help members get through rough spots and take advantage of emerging opportunities.  Attributes include the ability to spearhead the effort, good communication skills, experience handling teamwork, and clear understanding of the project and team goals.
■  Team players include people with diverse skills and personalities.  From cooperative “soldiers” who complete the tasks their handed to innovative “boundary spanners” who garner outside resources, a variety of personas are important. Attributes include reliability, constructive communication, active listening, cooperation and flexibility.