Question: which statement accurately describes one reason a delegation of authority may be needed?

A. When the incident scope is complex or beyond existing authorities

B. If the Incident Commander is acting within his or her existing authorities

C. To specify the Incident Action Plan to be implemented by the Incident Commander

D. To relieve the granting authority of the ultimate responsibility for the incident

So, when does an organization or a governing body need to delegate different responsibilities of an organization? Here are the other options you have to choose from. The answer is –

Ans: When the incident scope is complex or beyond existing authorities.

However, you might need further explanation to understand the answer. Go through the description below to have a clear idea of the answer.

When The Incident Scope Is Complex Or Beyond Existing Authorities?

Small teams work better. 

When an organization expands with more people in different roles, it becomes difficult to manage all of them at once – at least for one manager. That is when the organization delegates responsibilities to different subordinates. This process is usually the transfer of absolute power among different subordinates. 

This is the reason why medium to large-sized businesses often delegate their task among different teammates. 

It is nearly impossible for one person to handle all the work-related information. However, when the power of an organization is delegated, the core responsibilities are delegated. This gives the main governing body time to focus on other necessary information related to the work. 

So, when the organization grows in size, it becomes difficult for one leader to monitor the details of every individual’s work. Delegation of authority allows the governing body to execute the necessary intensity of power on each and every level of the organization.

Delegation of authority not only simplifies the work process but also ensures the degree of work efficiency on every level. However, when any task-related complexity arises, this could be because the task was not understood properly. 

The reason could very well be that the incident scope was not within the power range of the authority. That is why the delegation of tasks is necessary. But what is this delegation of authority? Go through the next sections to learn more –

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What Is Delegation Of Authority?

Delegation of authority means giving responsibilities to different leaders who report to their managers or leaders. Most large organizations divide their tasks among leaders responsible for handling their teams’ operations. 

Delegation of authority allows newly formed team leaders to solve their challenges and complete the task the way it suits them. They have the authority to make decisions within their teams, but the team leader is also responsible for fulfilling their responsibilities. 

Delegation of responsibility gives the authority holder to distribute tasks among people under them. These leaders have different responsibilities, and they work towards meeting multiple deadlines. In conclusion, delegation of responsibility means entrusting others with a shared responsibility to meet on time. Aside from sharing a portion of responsibilities, these individuals also have some authority to execute tasks.

Different Elements Of Delegation Of Authority

Three central elements make up a delegation of authority. Here are three of those elements detailed for your understanding –

Authority

The first element of the delegation of authority is authority itself. Especessily for business, an individual with delegated authority is responsible for making decisions, delegating tasks, and completing objectives by giving necessary instructions. However, authority should never be misused. That is where the trust part from the governing authority comes in.

Both authority and responsibilities are individually independent. an equal balance of authority and responsibility can help a leader complete their assigned tasks. This is why a leader must accompany responsibilities when assuming authority over something.

Although the completion of the task aspect falls under the leader with authority assigned, the ultimate responsibility still falls under the shoulder of the governing authority.

Responsibility

Responsibility, in this case, means the leader’s responsibility to accomplish the said target within a specific time frame. When the governing authority delegates authority, they also delegate responsibility for the work. When the leader or the individual with assigned responsibility accepts the task, they take ownership of the task.

A leader with ownership is not expected to make excuses when the task is not complete. Their duty is to use their authority to fulfill their responsibilities.

However, with limited authority and a high level of responsibility, the leader might feel discontent and dissatisfied had the responsibility remained unachieved. Also, too much authority with a lesser level of responsibility would make the leader the sole enjoyer of the credit.

Accountability

When delegating authority, a governing body cannot delegate just authority without attaching accountability to it. However, accountability is not something that a leader can delegate to other people responsibility and authority.

Accountability comes automatically to an individual when they assume certain responsibilities and authority to carry them out. When they set out to accomplish a task for the organization, they can be held accountable for their efforts and results.

For example, let’s say that Jacob is responsible for fulfilling a task with the authority to share it with Jay. The portion of responsibility might stay with Jay. But, upon the completion or incompletion of the task, Jacob will still be held accountable for the outcome that followed.

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Bottom Line

Organizations with a very clear understanding of their work and their strength usually delegate authority and responsibilities on time. The main purpose is to avoid complexity coming from the employee’s misunderstanding of their responsibilities. When a business delegates teams, they are able to understand their responsibilities and help avoid such complexities.

I hope that you have found the insight you were looking for after reading this article. But if you have any more queries, you can comment below and let us know. Thank you for reading.

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