Delegation of Authority
The tasks given to a manager cannot be completed by him alone. The management needs to delegate power in order to accomplish the goals.
Powers and authority are divided and given to the subordinate through delegation of authority.
Delegation involves giving someone else responsibility for doing some of your duties. In order to produce successful outcomes, delegation of authority can be defined as the division and sub-allocation of authority to the subordinates.
Elements of Delegation
Authority
In the context of a corporate organisation, authority can be characterised as the power and right of an individual to effectively use and distribute resources, to make choices, and to issue instructions in order to forward the goals of the organisation.
Authority needs to be clearly defined. Everyone with authority should be aware of the limits of their power and avoid abusing it. The ability to issue commands, orders, and carry out tasks is known as authority. The management at the highest level has the most power.
Always, power moves down from the top. It discusses how a boss motivates a worker by making clear what is required of him and how he should approach the task at hand. Equal duty need to go hand in hand with authority. Giving someone else the reins on a task does not absolve you of responsibility. The person with the highest level of power is still responsible.
Responsibility
It is a person’s responsibility to finish the assignment that has been given to him. An individual who is granted responsibility must make sure he completes the responsibilities allocated to him. He should not provide justifications or excuses if the tasks for which he was held accountable are not done. Without sufficient authority, responsibility can make a person unhappy and dissatisfied.
From the bottom up, responsibility flows. More responsibility rests with the middle and lower levels of management. A task must be answered for by the person assigned to it. He will surely receive appreciation if he completes the tasks given as planned. In contrast, he is equally responsible if he fails to complete tasks as planned.
Accountability
Giving justifications for any deviations between the performance that really occurred and the targets set constitutes accountability.
It is impossible to outsource accountability. As an illustration, if “A” is given a task with adequate power and “A” assigns it to “B” while asking him to see to it that the task is completed well, “B” is responsible, but “A” is still accountable.
The management at the top is primarily responsible. Being responsible entails innovation since the individual will consider ideas outside the parameters of his or her position. In a nutshell, accountability refers to being responsible for the outcome. You cannot avoid responsibility. It comes from being accountable.
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