What is the difference between Responsibility and Authority

[Randy]

Authority: Can delegate to those Responsible?

I think its a cultural thing. All employees have responsibility to fulfill their job responsibilities~run and measure parts. Employees may or may not feel they have the authority to, for example, shut down a process producing out of spec parts.

Nope

Kinda, sorta

 

[Craig H.]

Nope

Kinda, sorta

OK, then what is the difference?

 

[Kevin456]

I'll give it a try,

The dictionary defines responsibility as "a duty, obligation, or burden". Sometimes it seems like operating quality systems is a major burden, but it is our responsibility to do it.

Authority is defined as "The power to enforce laws, exact obedience, command, determine, or judge."

This is one of the reasons why the management rep must be a member of management. Without the authority to inforce the "laws" or in our case procedures, it would be impossible to implement the the vary thing that we have the responsibility (obligation or burden) to implement. There must be both.

 

[Randy]

I'll give it a try,

Authority is defined as "The power to enforce laws, exact obedience, command, determine, or judge."

This is one of the reasons why the management rep must be a member of management. Without the authority to inforce the "laws" or in our case procedures, it would be impossible to implement the the vary thing that we have the responsibility (obligation or burden) to implement. There must be both.

Maybe, but in this case...WRONG!

 

[RoxaneB]

In my opinion...

Responsibility is a duty or task assigned to you to be completed. I am responsible for implementing a 5S programme...this means that I have been assigned to implement the programme.

Authority is the ability to successfully complete my responsibility. I have the ability to determine and acquire the necessessary resources to successfully achieve my responsibility.

People are trained on their responsibilities. However, authority is, in my opinion, more of an awareness issue...how they use their skills to meet their responsibilties.

 

[Cordon - 2007]

Authority: the ability to make decisions without having to ask someone else's permission.

Responsibility: accountablity for those decisions.

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[Jim Wynne]

Authority: the ability to make decisions without having to ask someone else's permission.

Responsibility: accountablity for those decisions.

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Exactly .

 

[Randy]

RC and Cordon....pretty good and very close.

You guys are going to figure it out. Now start combining and make the relationship between

Roles

Responsibilities (and accountability)

Authority

What are they and how are they related?

 

[Jim Wynne]

RC and Cordon....pretty good and very close.

You guys are going to figure it out. Now start combining and make the relationship between

Roles

Responsibilities (and accountability)

Authority

What are they and how are they related?

Cordon isn't "pretty good" or "very close," he's exactly correct. There's nothing more to it, and the primary failing of nearly every management system is assignment of responsibility without delegation of the authority needed to fulfill the responsibility.

When things don't work, this is often why: incompetent people are given authority, and they shirk responsibility by assigning it to people who are foolish enough to belief that the incompetent will actually allow them to do their jobs. The incompetent then whines to his boss about how hard it is to find good help these days, and the boss, unable or unwilling to admit that he made a mistake in delegating authority to the incompetent, does nothing.

 

[Randy]

Cordon isn't "pretty good" or "very close," he's exactly correct. There's nothing more to it, and the primary failing of nearly every management system is assignment of responsibility without delegation of the authority needed to fulfill the responsibility.

Ah well...you're not quite right in this....Actually it's the lack of individual ownership and understanding as to the "why" due to poor communication and true committment.

But I digress...and will stay on topic