Are you a leader or a follower?
Say you can be both depending on the situation, and give a short example of each. Good team members lead when they know the area well and follow well when someone else is better placed.
Explain it simply
"Leader" alone can sound like you will not take instructions. "Follower" alone can sound passive. Real teams need people who can switch.
A mature answer explains when you step up (you know the topic, nobody is taking charge, a deadline is slipping) and when you support (someone else has more experience). As a fresher, show that you can follow instructions well and still take initiative.
Example
Situation: Tarun is asked this in a campus HR round.
Task: Show he can do both.
Action: He says: "It depends on the situation. In our robotics club I followed our senior's design lead because he had built three bots before, and I focused on wiring well. But when our final-year team had no plan two weeks into the semester, I set up the task sheet and weekly meetings, and the team followed it till the end."
Result: The interviewer hears flexibility and good judgement about when to lead.
What to say in the interview
"Both, depending on the situation. When someone knows more, I support them well, like in X. When nobody is taking charge, I step up, like in Y."
Common mistakes
- Saying you are always the leader.
- Saying you only like to follow.
- Answering with no examples.