Which concept involves assigning tasks to others while retaining overall accountability?

• A. Empowerment
• B. Delegation
• C. Span of control
• D. Bonus

Answer: (B)

Delegation is about assigning tasks to others while you keep overall accountability. It means you hand over both the responsibility and the authority to complete a task to someone else, supply the necessary resources and a clear deadline, and then monitor progress and provide support. You remain answerable for the final outcome, so if the task falls short or goes wrong, the responsibility sits with you as the manager.

This differs from empowerment, which is more about granting decision-making freedom and autonomy to act, sometimes with less direct supervision, and from span of control, which is about how many subordinates report to a manager rather than how tasks are allocated. A bonus is simply a reward and doesn’t describe transferring tasks or accountability.