The Authority dimension measures the individual’s beliefs related to how groups define power, make decisions, manage control, and enforce discipline. Two extremes anchor the continuum — Participative on the left, Autocratic on the right — and every respondent sits somewhere between them.
Participative
The left extreme (participative) characterizes individuals who believe decision-making should be spread across different levels of the organization and involve a participative process. These individuals tend to place a high value on their ability to collaborate and achieve consensus across diverse teams.
Individuals with authority in these groups feel that it is not their responsibility to make decisions, but rather to lead teams to make them. They believe in hierarchies that tend to be flat, with top-light teams of leaders focused on assigning responsibility.
Autocratic
The right extreme (autocratic) characterizes individuals who believe decision-making should be concentrated in the top ranks of a hierarchical organization. These individuals tend to favor making decisions within a controlled group that also decides who will deliver.
People with authority in these groups feel that it is their duty to dictate what needs to be done so the group can function effectively. They focus on assigning and managing tasks while retaining responsibility. These individuals place a high value on the chain of command and strict lines of authority, and rely on them to distribute work, monitor progress, and achieve results.
Reading the extremes
Neither pole is right or wrong. Participative cultures leverage collective intelligence and generate ownership; autocratic cultures move quickly and produce clarity of command. Both fail in different ways when the environment shifts — the point of measuring is to see which mode the organization actually runs on, not the one it claims.