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Authority Versus Responsibility

Authority and responsibility are similar, yet different. And when it comes to delegating, you need to know where to draw the line.

Authority is what your organization has bestowed upon you to get the job done. You give direction, and those placed under your authority are obligated to follow as part of their employment.

But authority can also include responsibilities such as signing off on budget expenditures, hiring additional staff or contract help, or approving a project to move forward.

You may delegate some of your authority, such as if you’re on vacation or out of the office on business. For example, you may delegate staff management to an employee that you trust to make decisions as you would when you’re away from the office.

Delegating authority means you’re handing over a whole set of responsibilities encompassed within a specified level of authority. This authority may be delegated on a long- or short-term basis.

But delegating responsibilities is more about assigning accountability for given tasks, often without the benefit of authority. For example, you may ask an employee to attend a weekly meeting on your behalf, but reserve your authority to make any commitments as a result of the meeting.