Business and Technology · Leadership, management and supervision

Authority, Power, Responsibility and Delegation Explained

Updated 11 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Authority is the formal right to give orders and make decisions. Power is the ability to influence others, whether or not you have that right. Responsibility is the duty to carry out a task. Delegation passes authority and responsibility to a subordinate, but the manager stays accountable for the result.

Understand Authority, Power, Responsibility and Delegation

Start with authority. It is the formal, legitimate right to make decisions and give instructions. It comes from your position in the organisation. A finance manager has authority to approve her team's expenses because the organisation gave her that right.

Power is different. Power is the ability to influence what other people do or think. It does not need a job title. A long-serving clerk who knows every system may have real power over colleagues without any formal authority. A manager can also have authority but little power if nobody respects or follows her.

Responsibility is the obligation to perform a task or duty. Accountability is being answerable for the outcome to someone higher up. You can pass responsibility for a task to someone else. You cannot pass away your accountability. If a delegated task goes wrong, the manager who delegated it still has to answer for it.

Delegation means a manager gives a subordinate the authority to carry out a task or make decisions, along with the responsibility for doing it. The manager keeps overall accountability. Good delegation needs three things in balance: the task, the authority to do it, and the resources to do it.

French and Raven identified five sources of power: legitimate, reward, coercive, expert and referent. Some books add a sixth, information power. The exam usually asks you to identify which type is shown in a short scenario.

Key formulas to remember

Authority: Authority = formal, legitimate right to command, linked to position; Comes from the organisation's structure, not from the person.
Power: Power = ability to influence others, with or without formal authority; Can come from knowledge, personality or control of resources.
Responsibility and accountability: Responsibility can be delegated; accountability cannot; The delegating manager remains answerable for the outcome.
French and Raven's power types: Legitimate | Reward | Coercive | Expert | Referent; Legitimate: position. Reward: ability to give benefits. Coercive: ability to punish. Expert: skill or knowledge. Referent: admiration and personal appeal.
Delegation: Delegation = task + authority + responsibility passed down; accountability retained; The subordinate needs enough resources and authority to do the task.

How to solve Authority, Power, Responsibility and Delegation questions

Use this method for any question on authority, power, responsibility or delegation.

1Read the scenario and underline who is doing what to whom.
2Decide what is being tested: a definition, a type of power, or a delegation issue.
3For power, ask where the influence comes from: position, rewards, punishment, skill or admiration.
4Match that source to the French and Raven label: legitimate, reward, coercive, expert or referent.
5For delegation, check whether authority and resources were passed down with the task.
6Remember that accountability stays with the manager who delegated.
7For advantages or disadvantages, split the answer between manager, subordinate and organisation.
8Check the answer against the exact wording of each option before choosing.

Quickest way: Source-of-influence shortcut

When to use it: Use this for one- or two-mark questions asking which type of power or concept is shown.

Find the key verb: orders, rewards, threatens, knows or admired.
Orders because of job title means legitimate power.
Can give pay rises or promotion means reward power.
Can discipline or dismiss means coercive power.
Has special skill or knowledge means expert power.
Is liked and copied means referent power.
If the question mentions delegation, ask who stays accountable: always the delegator.

Common mistakes in Authority, Power, Responsibility and Delegation

Treating authority and power as the same thing.
In everyday speech the words are used interchangeably.
Fix: Authority is the formal right linked to a position. Power is the ability to influence, which can exist without a position.
Saying a manager can delegate accountability.
Students confuse responsibility with accountability.
Fix: Delegate the task and responsibility, but state that the manager remains accountable for the outcome.
Confusing reward power with legitimate power.
A manager's position often gives both, so the scenario feels ambiguous.
Fix: Look at what the question stresses. Giving bonuses or promotions is reward. Simply giving instructions because of rank is legitimate.
Confusing expert power with referent power.
Both rely on the person rather than the position.
Fix: Expert power comes from skill or knowledge. Referent power comes from admiration or personality.
Assuming delegation means dumping unwanted work.
Students see it as getting rid of tasks rather than developing people.
Fix: Delegation should match the task to the person's ability, give authority and resources, and include monitoring.
Listing only advantages of delegation.
Students forget that exam questions often ask for both sides.
Fix: Always include risks: loss of control, poor quality, and staff who are not ready or willing.

Worked examples

Example 1

A senior accountant has no management role. Colleagues often follow her advice on complex IFRS issues because she is highly knowledgeable. Which type of power does she have?
A Legitimate
B Reward
C Expert
D Coercive

Show the solution

Identify the source of her influence: her knowledge of IFRS.
She has no management role, so legitimate power is unlikely.
There is no mention of giving benefits or punishing, so reward and coercive do not fit.
Knowledge and skill as the source of influence is expert power.

Answer: C. Expert power.

Example 2

A finance director delegates the preparation of a budget report to a junior analyst, and the report contains serious errors. Explain who is accountable and give two benefits of delegation.

Show the solution

Separate responsibility from accountability. The analyst was given responsibility for preparing the report.
The finance director delegated the task, so the director remains accountable to the board for the result.
Benefit 1: the director frees up time for strategic and more complex work.
Benefit 2: the analyst gains experience and motivation, which develops skills for future roles.
Add that the director should have checked the analyst's ability and monitored progress.

Answer: The finance director remains accountable for the errors, even though the analyst was responsible for the task. Two benefits of delegation are that it saves the manager's time and that it develops and motivates the subordinate.

Exam tips

Learn the five French and Raven labels and one clue word for each.
Write that accountability cannot be delegated; this is a frequent test point.
In scenario questions, identify the source of influence before looking at the options.
For advantages and disadvantages, give a mix: time, development, motivation, and risks such as loss of control.
Do not over-think one-mark questions. Choose the best fit and move on.

Practice questions from Leadership, management and supervision

Authority, Power, Responsibility and Delegation in other exams

The same ground in other exams, if you are preparing for more than one or want another angle on it.

Authority, Power, Responsibility and Delegation: frequently asked questions

What is the difference between authority and power?

Authority is the formal right to make decisions and give orders, based on position. Power is the ability to influence others, and it can come from knowledge, personality or control of resources. A person can have one without the other.

What are French and Raven's five sources of power?

They are legitimate, reward, coercive, expert and referent power. Legitimate comes from position, reward from giving benefits, coercive from the ability to punish, expert from skill, and referent from admiration.

Can a manager delegate accountability?

No. A manager can delegate a task and the responsibility for doing it. The manager stays accountable to their own superiors for the result.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of delegation?

Advantages include saving manager time, developing staff, improving motivation and speeding decisions. Disadvantages include loss of control, the risk of poor performance, and the manager's reluctance or the subordinate's lack of skill or willingness.