Dear Avirah,
I don’t get what your saying. Hashkofas HaTorah does not lend ‘authority’ to gedolei yisroel. Their statements stand on their merit as an individual. In many areas specific gedolim stand out. The yeshivos at large follow their elder R”Y, even if the RSHKBHG disagrees.
On second thought, maybe you mean specifically mean ‘dogma’ and not the general idea of ‘authority’. I hear that. What generally differentiates regular orthodoxies from MO, is their extreme hesitancy around everything dogmatic.
PS On the main topic. Exhibit A Igros Hagrid. Exhibit B Sichos Hagrid.