If you ask someone to take responsibility for something, but don’t give them authority over it then you are essentially setting them up for failure.

What do I mean?

Responsibility is asking someone to take ownership over something – to make sure X gets done. To create a result. <– I daresay we are all looking for this from our team and the folks we engage for various services.

Authority is empowering that person to make the decisions needed to create the result they were hired for WITHOUT having to get permission at every step along the way. <– This right here in the humdinger and a place where things can get stalled.

It’s not uncommon for business owners to hire someone, expect responsibility but ask them to run everything past them first before they take any kind of action.

This is like putting a hobble on a horse and expecting them to gallop across the field. They can only take little steps at a time and have to wait for you at every turn.

The more decisions that need to be approved first before someone takes action, the slower things will move. The more tiring it is for the leader who is expected to make all of these decisions. The more frustrated the team will be waiting for decisions to be made. Oooof – perhaps you can relate?

If you are the one hiring ask yourself – have I given authority alongside the responsibility I’m asking for? Am I expecting folks to check in with me on every little thing? Is there room to perhaps give more authority to the people I’m working with?

If you are the one being hired ask yourself – have you asked for the authority you need? Have you been clear with those you are working for that in order to do X you need to be empowered to make decisions along the way?

You might be surprised to find how much quicker and smoother things can run with a bit of authority in the mix.