Authoritarian leadership is typically characterized by which description in this context?

• A. Delegated and participative
• B. Highly decentralized and flexible
• C. Centralized, prescriptive decision-making
• D. Shared leadership and teamwork

Answer: (C)

Authoritarian leadership centers on centralized control where the leader makes decisions with little to no input from subordinates. This produces prescriptive direction, clearly outlining what must be done, by whom, and how, which keeps actions coordinated and aligned with the commander's intent. In situations requiring rapid, decisive action and a single, unambiguous course of action, this approach provides speed, unity of effort, and accountability. The other descriptions describe more participative or distributed leadership—delegation and input from team members, decentralized decision rights, or shared leadership—which do not fit the top-down, tightly controlled style. Therefore, centralized, prescriptive decision-making best describes authoritarian leadership.