Which statement best describes responsibility in delegation?

Which statement best describes responsibility in delegation?

• A. It can be fully delegated with authority
• B. Limited responsibility can be delegated, but ultimate responsibility cannot
• C. It is the same as accountability
• D. It has no relation to authority

Answer: (B)

Delegation involves moving tasks and the authority needed to carry them out to someone else, while the final obligation for the outcome stays with the person who delegates. The statement that limited responsibility can be delegated, but ultimate responsibility cannot, captures the essential point: you can entrust someone with parts of the work and give them the power to act within defined limits, but you remain answerable for the results. In practice, you define the scope, provide the necessary authority, and set expectations, then monitor progress and provide support. If things go wrong, the manager who delegated remains responsible for the overall outcome, even though the teammate handles the day-to-day tasks. This contrasts with the idea of fully delegating everything with authority, which would leave accountability unaddressed, and with treating responsibility as the same as accountability or as unrelated to authority, both of which ignore the real distinctions in delegation.

Delegation involves moving tasks and the authority needed to carry them out to someone else, while the final obligation for the outcome stays with the person who delegates. The statement that limited responsibility can be delegated, but ultimate responsibility cannot, captures the essential point: you can entrust someone with parts of the work and give them the power to act within defined limits, but you remain answerable for the results. In practice, you define the scope, provide the necessary authority, and set expectations, then monitor progress and provide support. If things go wrong, the manager who delegated remains responsible for the overall outcome, even though the teammate handles the day-to-day tasks. This contrasts with the idea of fully delegating everything with authority, which would leave accountability unaddressed, and with treating responsibility as the same as accountability or as unrelated to authority, both of which ignore the real distinctions in delegation.