Are You Leading or are You an Individual Contributor?

High-performance teams are generally composed of a number of professionals with very similar skill-sets. This arrangement is much different from a Group where individual talents can be considerably varied. For either of these organizational and operational units, confusion may arise about the concept of leadership and who among the members is most equipped to lead the consolidated effort. Many would classify the efforts of some of the more vocal members worthy of leadership status; While others would conclude that the occasional great commentary as just "a great idea!" Considering the scenario, it's important to understand the context of the contribution and the position from which it is rendered. Often, teams and groups make the mistake of amplifying a great idea to a sign of great leadership, ignoring the particulars of individual character and behavior. The question that needs to be ask is "Is This Person Just A Great Individual Contributor or Do They Have The Capacity To Lead?" Leaders have a capacity to author great ideas, provide foresight during times of despair when the overall view of the landscape requires clarity. Leaders can recognize great thought and effort from others while properly classifying both without falsely amplifying either to the next level.