The words ‘Accountability’ ‘Responsibility’ and ‘Authority’ are often mixed up, used inconsistently, and often as synonyms.
How often have I heard someone say they have accountability, but not the responsibility, as well as the opposite?.
In any organisation, the ‘language’ used has to be crystal clear. Without clarity, ambiguity and finger pointing creeps in.
Let’s put this one to bed.
In my world, the demarcation between these words is very clear.
Accountability.
The clue is in the word: ‘count’. The person with accountability is the one keeping track of progress, counting it. They may not have the power to make all the decisions, their role is to be the one who gives voice to issues as they arise, and should be independent of the role the person plays in the organisational hierarchy. In former marketing management roles I held product managers accountable for margins of the products for which they held responsibility. They did not set final prices, nor did they control the promotional spend or COGS, but they were accountable for margins, and it was their role to monitor, communicate, and persuade, to deliver both the percentage and dollar outcomes.
Responsibility.
Anyone who is in a position to ‘respond’ carries responsibility. An individual does not have to carry either accountability for outcomes, or the authority to make decisions to be responsible for actions taken, most particularly their own. It is in this area of responsibility that the cultural aspects of an enterprise are felt most keenly. When those without any institutional power feel attachment to an outcome, and act accordingly, they are exhibiting a level of responsibility, and it is a powerful marker to a positive, productive culture.
Authority.
This belongs to the person who has the final say, the power of veto. Authority can be delegated, even to the lower levels in an enterprise. On a production line where there is an ‘Andon’ line in place, workers carry the authority to stop the line when they see a quality fault, rather than allowing it to proceed further down the line.
The larger an organisation becomes, the more nuanced and ambiguous these definitions can become as people interpret their position and role, and that of others, slightly differently.
A regular and blatant misuse of the word authority occurs when it is used to point at someone who is expected to be an expert. The word sometimes carries the preposition, ‘an’, in front of it, becoming ‘an authority’, as in the header illustration. The doctor was used in the header ad because he was seen as ‘an authority’, and therefore had an opinion that should count, but had no authority over the actions of an individual.
As a further example, In most organisations, the CFO is accountable for the cash. They literally count it, report on it, and recommend actions that impact on it. The CEO retains authority over the cash, as they have the final say in how it is managed and allocated, and everyone in the organisation has a responsibility to ensure that cash is spent wisely, with appropriate governance and reporting.
Having clarity around these definitions, and a culture that respects and responds to them, is crucial to any improvement process.
