Fans of Masashi Kishimoto's hit Naruto franchise know that leaders form an integral part of any team. After all, it's through their mentorship that students grow to become brave, honorable, and respectable members of their cadre. In the case of Naruto, he had both the Sannin Jiraiya and his Team 7 mentor Kakashi Hatake to thank for his growth. Interestingly, even Kakashi himself learned a few things during his time inside and outside the Hidden Leaf Village.
Aside from Naruto, Kakashi's experience with teams also honed his own vision of how camaraderie and teamwork should happen. Thanks to his mentors, Kakashi learned that true teamwork lies in trusting one's friends and never leaving them behind. However, how did Kakashi fare with other teams he's been a part of?
10 Team Minato
Like Naruto Uzumaki, Kakashi also began as a Genin himself. Back then, Kakashi trained under the tutelage of Minato Namikaze, the man who would eventually become the Fourth Hokage and Naruto's father. In Team Minato, the quiet Kakashi would get to know the brash Obito Uchiha and the warm-hearted Rin Nohara. Given the series theme of generation, Rin would serve as Team Minato's version of Sakura Haruno, while Kakashi and Obito would serve as the counterpart of Sasuke and Naruto, respectively.
It's also thanks to Minato's guidance that Kakashi would learn the value of teamwork and loyalty. Sadly, the similarities of Team Minato and Team Kakashi would end there. Only Kakashi becomes Chunin after the Chunin Exams, and then gets promoted to Jonin due to his performance. Moreover, as the Hidden Villages were on the cusp of the Third Great Ninja War, Kakashi would lead Team Minato in the battlefield. In the end, Rin dies, and Obito gives one of his Sharingan to Kakashi before disappearing. The Team officially disbands when Kakashi himself would become a member of the ANBU and Minato becomes the Fourth Hokage.
9 Team Ro (ANBU)
During Kakashi's membership in the Konoha's elite ANBU program, he becomes assigned to various missions. Aside from a new outfit, Kakashi's membership into the ANBU means he's become part of Konoha's mysterious black ops shinobi team. However, unlike other ANBU, Kakashi would become a member of Team Ro, the Hokage's personal black-ops unit. In Team Ro, Kakashi would often partake in "the black" - missions that include not just investigation and infiltration, but also assassination.
During his membership, Kakashi would eliminate hostile shinobi from various Lands and Villages. Likewise, Kakashi and Team Ro would participate in Itachi's elimination of the entire Uchiha Clan. While they wouldn't lay a hand on the Clan itself, Team Ro would intercept the Clan's coup, treat sole survivor Sasuke Uchiha, and even dispose of the Uchiha Clan's corpses.
8 Team 7
Fans of the series would know Kakashi best as the mentor of Konoha 11's Team 7. In this team, Kakashi would mentor Sasuke, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sakura Haruno. It seems the Third Hokage at the time handpicked Kakashi's members given his relationship to Minato and involvement in the Uchiha Clan Massacre. In turn, the Third Hokage deemed Kakashi fit of not just honing the skills of Team 7, but also unite them. Whereas Kakashi introduces Naruto to Jiraiya (who will eventually teach Naruto the Rasengan), he mentors Sasuke and teaches him the Chidori.
Despite the strong wills of his students, none of them would ever make it to Chunin rank. Moreover, Sasuke's desire for power and vengeance would lead him to defect to Orochimaru. However, despite these failings, Kakashi would instill a sense of teamwork and loyalty to his students, something Minato also passed down to him.
7 Team Kakashi
In Part 2, Kakashi would submit documentation to Hokage Tsunade to rename Team 7 into Team Kakashi. His team would comprise of members Naruto and Sakura, albeit this time treated as his equals.
By this time, both Naruto and Sakura finished training under Jiraiya and Tsunade, respectively. In turn, Naruto has mastered the Rasengan while Sakura became a competent healing-nin. Interestingly, even Sasuke would become a pupil of Orochimaru. Collectively, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru were called the Legendary Sannin due to their incredible abilities.
6 Kazekage Rescue Team
Shortly after Naruto's return to the village, the Akatsuki would make their move to amass the powers of the Jinchuriki. As such, Sunagakure called upon the aid of Konoha after the kidnapping of Kazekage Gaara, the Jinchuriki of the One-Tails Shukaku. Due to Naruto's status as a Jinchuriki himself, Kakashi leads Team Kakashi with the help of Chiyo, a renowned healer and puppeteer.
In this mission, Sakura and Chiyo would kill Akatsuki Sasori, who turns out to be Chiyo's own grandson. Meanwhile, Kakashi and Naruto would force Akatsuki Deidara to retreat. Sadly, Gaara already expired by the time they reached them as the Akatsuki managed to extract Shukaku. It would take Chiyo sacrificing her own life just to revive Gaara.
5 Team 10
Originally Team Asuma, the team found leadership in Asuma Sarutobi, the son of the Third Hokage. Asuma mentored the famed Ino-Shika-Cho trio to hone their teamwork and camaraderie, just like every Ino-Shika-Cho pairing before them. However, Akatsuki Hidan would kill Asuma in battle, and Ino-Shika-Cho sought revenge for their mentor.
Instead of letting Team 10 undertake the mission without a mentor, Kakashi offered to lead them, with Team Kakashi as backup. At the end of the mission, Shikamaru Nara trapped Hidan within the Nara Clan Forest. Meanwhile, Naruto and the rest had managed to kill Akatsuki Kazuzu. It's around this time that Naruto will master the Rasenshuriken. After the battle, Kakashi had to recuperate due to his own injuries.
4 Orochimaru Search Team
When Konoha caught news of a location of one of Orochimaru's bases, Kakashi personally led the Orochimaru Search Team to find any useful information. However, Konoha had to reinforce Kakashi's team with two other teams once they realized that Yukimaru, one of Orochimaru's test subjects, can partially control the Three-Tails, with Team Guren out to capture the Bijuu for themselves.
As a result, Kakashi's original team of Naruto, Sai, and Shino Aburame had to fight Guren to secure Yukimaru. Meanwhile, Yamato would lead the second team alongside Tenten, Rock Lee, and Kiba Inuzuka to neutralize other Team Guren members. Lastly, Shizune had Sakura, Ino, and Hinata Hyuga assist her in sealing the Three-Tails.
3 Eight Man Squad
Meanwhile, Konoha will yet again assign Kakashi to lead a multi-team setup, this time after hearing news about Orochimaru's defeat at the hands of Sasuke. When Naruto approached Tsunade about Itachi being Sasuke's next target, the Hokage created the Eight Man Squad to capture the elder Uchiha first.
As a result, the Eight Man Squad comprised of Team 7 and Team 8. Unfortunately, both teams would have to face Akatsuki Deidara and Akatsuki Tobi while trying to find Itachi. Sadly, by the time they reach the elder Uchiha, Itachi already died as a result of a duel with Sasuke.
2 Third Division
Kakashi would once again partake in a war, this time the Fourth Shinobi World War. Under the Allied Shinobi Forces, Commander Gaara will assign Kakashi as the leader of the Third Division. Known as the Short and Mid-Range Battle Division, Kakashi will supervise the melee specialists of the Allied Shinobi Forces.
Given their specialty, the Third Division will have to tear through Madara Uchiha's forces before the rest of the Forces join them. After their success, Gaara assigns the Division to help Naruto and Killer B in their mission. Likewise, the Third Division becomes instrumental in the final push against Madara Uchiha and Obito Uchiha, who this time assumed control over the powerful Ten-Tails.
1 The Hokage
In the Naruto universe, whereas a daimyo heads each Land, a Kage leads its Hidden Village. The Hokage or the Fire Shadow serves as Konoha's leader and main protector. This eventually becomes a title assumed by the likes of Minato Namikaze, Lady Tsunade, and even Naruto himself. However, while Naruto prepares to assume leadership, Kakashi steps forward as the Sixth Hokage.
Despite his inexperience with politics, his leadership skills and relationships with fellow Jonin and even Naruto's batch of students proved enough for him to become their leader. At first, Kakashi felt undeserving of the title. However, some adventures after the Fourth Shinobi World War convinced Kakashi of his capacity to lead Konoha.