Taking lead, which means assuming control or leadership, has several antonyms depending on the context. One could relinquish or surrender leadership, cede leadership to someone else, or even defer to another person's leadership skills. If you don't want to lead a project, you can opt to follow someone else, or let them take charge. In some scenarios, you may be able to collaborate with others, share leadership duties, or take a back seat and provide support. When someone is not willing to take the lead, it may be described as passivity, indifference or even apathy. In short, there are many ways to express the opposite of "taking lead.