POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Sta. Mesa, Manila

College of Business Administration

RESPONSIB
ILITY
VS
ACCOUNTA
BILITY

JOHN CEDRIC G. NAVAL

BSBA-HRDM 3-6D

Responsibility vs. Accountability Whats

The Difference?
The relationship between accountability and responsibility is an
interesting one that has perplexed me for a while. Organizations and leaders
are looking for accountability for performance. I have always believed that
accountability is assigned and responsibility is taken.
Assuming

responsibility

and

accountability

for

individuals, teams, leaders, managers and organizations!

ourselves?

Yes,

It all begins with

each of us being accountable and responsible for our behaviors, actions, and
decisions. Our work with as followers is based on the premise of selfresponsibility and accountability. We have seen so many good things happen
when leaders create a culture of accountability and responsibility.
The

terms

responsibility

and

accountability

are

often

used

interchangeably by the people, due to some similarities like the flow of both
of these two, is from bottom to top. Although, they are different in the sense
that, in the case of responsibility, a person does what he/she is asked to do.
On the other hand, in accountability, a person agrees to do, what he/she is
supposed

to

do.

The

basic

difference

between

responsibility

and

accountability is that the former is assumed whereas the latter is imposed.

Dictionary.com defines each as:

Accountable: subject to the obligation to report, explain, or
justify

something; responsible; answerable.

Responsible: answerable or accountable, as for something

within

ones power, control, or management.

Moreover, according to Surbhis article published by website Key

Differences, he define the term responsibility as an obligation to perform or
complete the assigned task. It is the duty of the subordinate to complete the
delegated task adequately. It is generated out of a superior-subordinate
relationship, where the junior is bound to perform the task assigned to him
by the senior. (Surbhi, June 2016)
Hence, the flow of responsibility is bottom-up, as the subordinate is
responsible to his/her senior. The word responsibility describes a person or
group who is complete in charge of something and will ensure the work will
be done properly.
On the other hand, according to him, the term accountability means a
sense of being answerable for the final consequences (Surbhi, June 2016). So
when an authority is delegated, the employee is empowered to perform the
task for his superior, but the superior would still take the ownership of the
final result.
In general the flow of accountability is bottom-up, as the subordinate
would be liable to the superior for the task. When a person is accountable for
something, he is supposed to explain the outcomes of his actions, decisions,

and omissions. It denotes an individual or group who are ready to make good
or take the blame if the work is not completed properly
A comparison chart provided by the Key Difference web is presented
below in determining the differences of responsibility and accountability.

Source: http://keydifferences.com/difference-between-responsibility-and-accountability.html

The

following

points

are

noteworthy so far
as the difference
between
responsibility and
accountability

is

concerned:
1.

The state of having the duty, to do whatever it takes to complete the

task, is known as responsibility. The condition, wherein a person is expected
to take ownership of ones actions or decisions, is called accountability.

2.

Responsibility refers to the obligation to perform the delegated task.

On the other hand, answerability for the consequence of the delegated task.

3.

Responsibility is assigned whereas accountability is accepted.

4.

The origin of responsibility is the assigned authority. On the contrary,

accountability arises from responsibility.

5.

Responsibility is delegated but not completely, but there is no such

thing like delegation of accountability.

6.

The performance of a person is not necessarily measured when he/she

is responsible. Unlike, accountability, wherein the persons performance is
measured.

7.

Responsibility is something, wherein a person is held responsible

before or after task. In contrast to, accountability where a person can only be
accountable after the task is performed or not performed satisfactorily.
After going over different definitions and key points of comparison
between responsibility and accountability, it is clear that accountability
makes the person accountable for the consequences of the actions or
decisions made by him/her. As against this, consequences are not
necessarily attached to the responsibility. Further, accountability requires a
person to be liable and answerable for the things, he/she does. Conversely,
responsibility expects a person to be reliable and dependable to complete
the tasks assigned to him.

WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT?

Responsibility may be bestowed, but accountability must be taken. In
other words, responsibility can be given or received, even assumed, but that
doesnt automatically guarantee that personal accountability will be taken.
Which means that its possible to bear responsibility for something or
someone but still lack accountability.
With that interpretation in mind it could be inferred that every person
on the working team could be responsible (by assignment) but his or her
accountability is dependent on their level of commitment and acceptance of
such accountability.

Marom highlighted a good summary document by Michael L Smith and

James Erwin, titled Role & Responsibility Charting (RACI) make the
following

excellent

observation:

Managers

and

supervisors

are

not

accountable for everything in their organization. Responsibility charting

ensures accountability is placed with the person who really can be
accountable for specific work. Often this results in accountabilities for
actions being moved down to the most appropriate level. (Marom, S., June
2016)
Clearly defining responsibility is certainly essential, but encouraging
people to go a step further to get personally involved will secure better
results every time. Thats where taking accountability comes into play. The
notion of taking accountability naturally sounds more significant than
having responsibilityyoure making the choice to go beyond what youre
responsible for, carrying with it an idea of ownership, involvement, and
engagement.

Based on Partners in Leadership, in a workplace culture where this

positive and empowering version of accountability is embraced (Skousen, T.,
April 2016) youll find that:

People at all levels take ownership for the strategic results of the
organization.

Balls do not get dropped and projects do not slip through the cracks.

People think differently about the job that needs to get done.

People break-down barriers and collaborate to achieve the right results.

Why? Because accountability is a broader concept than responsibility
its something you do to yourself, not something that someone does to you.
Its with this version of accountability that people not only take
accountability for the results they need to achieve individually but for results

that they are not 100% in control of. Organizations embracing positive
accountability have a culture of people that hold themselves accountable for
the ultimate results of the organization.
When

individuals,

teams,

and

organizations

choose

greater

accountability, youll see and get more. More ownership. More performance.
More innovation. More heart. And better results. In summary, responsibility
can be given or received, even assumed, but that doesnt automatically
guarantee that personal accountability will be taken. Accountability is a
choice. If that choice isnt made, its possible to have responsibility for
something or someone but still lack accountability. So, responsibly choose
accountability. As you do, youre sure to discover just what accountability can
do for you and those around you.

Surbhi, S. (2016, June 22). Difference between Responsibility and

Accounatbility. Retrieved from http://keydifferences.com/difference-betweenresponsibility-and-accountability.html
Skousen, Tracy (2016, April 12). Responsibility vs Accountability. Retrieved
from https://www.partnersinleadership.com/insightspublications/responsibility-vs-accountability/
Marom, Shim (2016, June 10). Accountability and Responsibility in Project
Management. Retrieved from https://resources.workfront.com/projectmanagement-blog/accountability-vs-responsibility-in-project-management
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/responsibility

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/accountability?s=t