Title: Concept of Authority Quiz
Course: PIM: Teaming 2: Self and Other Awareness > Section: Cultural Dimensions Specific to Teams

Q: Based on the group phone chat, which team members lean toward the high power distance pole? (Wang is the unnamed student on the right in green.)

Text of phone chat:

- Sudha: This sucks -- just got quarantined! I can’t get samples. Can someone cover?
- Ahmed: #quarantinesucks! Same deal with me. Maybe we had the same contact. Wang, what’s the plan?
- Wang: If we split the work, Emma and I can get 4 samples each.
- Emma: I’ve got 2 exams and a paper due next week. Let’s tell Gina what’s up and see if we can go with fewer samples or get an extension.
- Ahmed: You mean Dr. Pierre? She said at least 8 samples. And I hear she doesn’t like extensions.
- Emma: Gina, Dr. Pierre, whatever. She seems chill.
- Sudha: What if Ahmed and I email her separately to explain we’re quarantined, then Emma or Wang, one of you ask her what to do? And yeah, this sucks for us all.
- Wang: I don’t like asking professors for favors, but we all want a good grade. We’ll go with Sudha’s idea. Contact Dr. Pierre tonight, and I’ll email her tomorrow morning. Don’t get sick, everyone!
- Sudha (Sudha doesn't appear very high power distance in that they see the professor as approachable. On the other hand, they suggest a pretty indirect approach that provides a lot of context to the authority figure before asking for an exception. So, Sudha is probably somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. Try again!)
- Ahmed (Yes! Ahmed turns toward Wang as team leader for a solution – a sign that he expects leaders to solve problems rather than the entire team, and his use of title for the professor, concern for adhering to her instructions, and concern for her opinion on extensions suggests that he wants to demonstrate respect for authority and views people in power as unapproachable. Did you get both correct responses (there are two)? If not, go back and try again.)
- Wang (Yes! Wang expresses a similar position in his use of title, and possibly in his dislike of asking professors for favors, although that is more open to interpretation. He accepts his own authority as team leader in coming up with a solution and telling the team what to do, and he expresses concern for team members that suggests he is looking after his "subordinates." However, he also accepts Sudha's solution to the problem, which suggests that he does not position himself far above his teammates and therefore would not fit on the extreme high end of the power distance continuum. Did you get both correct responses (there are two)? If not, go back and try again.)
- Emma (Actually, Emma seems pretty low power distance, feeling comfortable calling the professor by first name and describing her in informal terms. Try again!)
A: Ahmed; Wang

Q: Which of these behaviors is NOT a sign of low power distance concept of authority?
- When Sudha shares with her team members that she is quarantined. (Yes, this is more high power distance. She is discussing the issue first with her peers rather than with the professor and is looking to her peers for support and solutions.)
- When Sudha proposes a solution that identifies an action item for each team member. (No, it is more low power distance for Sudha to take the initiative even though she is not the team leader.)
- When Emma refers to the professor by her first name. (Not correct - this is actually a low power distance behavior. Try again!)
- When Emma suggests they consult with the professor for a solution. (Not correct - this is actually a low power distance behavior. Try again!)
A: When Sudha shares with her team members that she is quarantined.

Q: Respond briefly:

In terms of power distance, which team member do you identify with most in this situation? Why?
Feedback: There is no right or wrong answer. Perspectives on power and authority are often culturally based, and what matters is to be aware of your own perspective and the fact that not everyone else will share it. Where do you think you developed your perspective on power and authority?

Q: Respond briefly:

Which team member do you think would be most challenging for you to work with? Why?
Feedback: Again, there is no right or wrong answer. But, knowing where someone's attitude toward power and authority may "clash" with your own can help you prepare to navigate that tension.

Q: Respond briefly:

What is one thing you can do if there are different understandings of power distance on your team?
Feedback: This is the million-dollar question. Among many possible answers, here are a few: 1. Explain where you're coming from and invite others to do the same. 2. Introduce the concept of power distance and discuss different understandings without judging. 3. Adjust your own behavior to align more with that of other team members. 4. Manage "up" and manage "down" if you are in a leadership role.