Delegation

No manager can do everything alone. Delegation is the downward transfer of authority from a superior to a subordinate, to get work done. It is not abdication: the manager remains accountable for the result.

Delegation has three elements:

• Authority: the right to give orders and make decisions. It flows downward, and can be delegated.
• Responsibility: the obligation to do the work assigned. It flows upward, and cannot be entirely delegated.
• Accountability: being answerable for the final result. It cannot be delegated at all.

In short: authority is delegated, responsibility is assumed, and accountability is imposed.

Authority must match responsibility. A foreman who must make 300 units a day but may not order the tools he needs has responsibility without authority, which makes him ineffective. More authority than responsibility, on the other hand, may lead to misuse of power.

Why delegation matters: it makes management effective (managers free their time for important work); it develops employees and motivates them; it helps the firm grow; it is the basis of the management hierarchy; and it gives better coordination, because everyone knows their powers and duties.