Lesson 07

Leadership & Management
Reading for Lesson 7:

The Chain of Command and
Leadership Triad
Lesson 7
Reading Objectives
1. The student will comprehend the concept of
the Chain of Command as an institution.
2. The student will know the key factors that
determine the effectiveness of the Chain of
Command.
3. The student will know the terms Authority,
Responsibility, and Accountability and describe
how they interrelate within the Leadership
Triad.
Lesson 7
Reading Objectives
4. The student will comprehend how Authority,
Responsibility and Accountability relate within the
Chain of Command.
5. The student will know why we are held accountable for
results and not intentions.
6. The student will know how Authority is an important
tool for success in the execution of one’s
Responsibilities.
Lesson 7
Reading Objectives
7. The student will apply the concepts of Responsibility,
Accountability and Authority to leadership situations in
the Battalion and in the Fleet.
8. The student will comprehend the major aspects and
potential advantages of delegation.
9. The student will comprehend reasons leaders fail to
delegate.
10. The student will comprehend important guidelines for
delegation including what to delegate and how to
delegate.
Lesson 7
Discussion Objectives
1. The student will know the key factors that determine
the effectiveness of the Chain of Command.
2. The student will apply the concepts of Responsibility,
Accountability and Authority to leadership situations in
the Battalion and in the Fleet.
3. The student will comprehend the major aspects and
potential advantages of delegation.
4. The student will comprehend reasons leaders fail to
delegate.
Chain of Command
as an Institution
 Both a structure and a process:
- Defines levels of decision-making, lines of
authority, areas of responsibility, levels of
accountability & the flow of information
 Not a written document but, rather, a conceptual

framework that governs how we function in the
Naval Services.
Chain of Command
as an Institution
 Its effectiveness requires pledge of faith to
uphold it as an institution, much like the oath to
support and defend the Constitution.
 Not comprised of individuals:
- It is a structure of areas of Responsibility,
levels of Accountability & lines of Authority
- Loyalty to the Chain of Command means
supporting the institution regardless of the
personalities involved
Effectiveness of the
Chain of Command
 Key Factors that determine effectiveness:
 Trust
 Confidence
 Trust and confidence are earned through
demonstrated abilities and loyalty.
 Proper use of Chain of Command ensures
everyone is informed and provides important
(human) resources to aid in successful
completion of the responsibility.
Chain of Command
 What is it?
 Benefits
 Risk
 Consequences of ignoring…
Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan
 Film excerpt (Complaints go up, not down)

 What does this mean to you?
 How does this apply to you?
 Benefits?
 Consequences?
 How do you reinforce this ideal?
Authority
 Legitimate right to use assigned
resources, including personnel, to
accomplish a task or objective; the right to
give orders and expect compliance.
Sources of Authority
 Conferred by the group over which Authority is

exercised (Legitimate or Illegitimate)
 Based upon position
 Based upon rank/pay grade
Authority to Execute
 Authority is control or power to act on one’s
responsibility
 Delegation enhances one’s likelihood of success
 Failure to achieve mission may indicate failure to
delegate
 Increasing subordinate Authority will likely
improve subordinate performance
Responsibility
 The obligation to complete a task or perform a
mission.
 Responsibility exists individually and at all levels
of an organization.
 Once held, Responsibility cannot be transferred.
 Others may be assigned tasks oriented to the
obligation but overall responsibility remains with
person assigning the tasks.
Accountability
 Process by which a subordinate reports
the outcome of an assigned task or
mission and accepts the consequences,
good or bad.
 Ultimate accountability can never be
delegated even though authority may be
delegated.
Accountability for Results
 Emphasizes results, not intentions
- Serves as basis for accounting for one’s actions or

failure to act
- Does not imply that the bottom line is more important
than the process
- Emphasizes necessity to consider all possible
consequences in the execution of duties associated
with Responsibility
Leadership Triad
 Comprised of Authority, Responsibility &
Accountability:
- Fulfilling responsibilities through the

appropriate application of Authority and
acceptance of Accountability enables “Special
Trust and Confidence” of one’s superiors and
subordinates.
Leadership Triad Interrelationship
 Responsibility is assigned, assumed or
conferred:
 Once held, Responsibility cannot be transferred
 Accountability is extant to Responsibility:
 Accountability is being answerable to how the
Responsibility is handled
 Authority can be delegated. It is the critical
component of the triad:
 Authority is the power or control to act on the
Responsibility
Leadership Triad
and the
Chain of Command
 Responsibilities are defined by the structure of
the Chain of Command:
- Chain of Command identifies those
entrusted with decision-making
 Lines of Authority are established by the Chain
of Command:
- This facilitates delegation of Authority
 Assignment of Responsibility engenders
Accountability
Delegation
 Major aspects:
 Variety and magnitude of responsibilities
 Amount of discretion or range of choice
allowed in carrying out responsibilities
 Authority to take action and implement
decisions without prior approval
 Frequency and nature of reporting
requirements
 Flow of performance information
Delegation
 Potential advantages:
 Improvement of decision quality
 Great subordinate commitment
 Time management
 Job enrichment
 Development of subordinates
When to Delegate
 Tasks that can be done better by subordinate
 Tasks that are urgent but not high priority
 Tasks relevant to subordinate’s career
 Tasks of appropriate difficulty
 Both pleasant and unpleasant
 Tasks not central to manager’s role
How to Delegate
 Specify responsibilities early
 Provide adequate authority, specify limits of discretion
 Specify reporting requirements
 Ensure subordinate acceptance of responsibilities
 Inform others who need to know
 Monitor progress in appropriate ways
 Ensure subordinate receives critical information
 Provide support/assistance – avoid reverse delegation
 Make mistakes a learning experience
Reasons Leaders Fail
to Delegate
 Strong need for (personal) power
 Doubt in personal ability
 Doubt in subordinate ability
 Perception of different values and objectives in a
subordinate
 Manager has exceptional task expertise, self-confidence,
and desire to maintain quality of work
 Situational constraints
 Protection of confidential information
 Highly interdependent subordinate jobs
If You Want It Done Right…
 …do it yourself?
 Good, bad?
 Consequences?
 Why it doesn’t work?
Next Class
 Change and Development
 Read:Leadership & Management,
Chapter 8
Summary
 Trust and confidence are Key Factors in
Chain of Command effectiveness.
 Leadership Triad:
 Responsibility--assigned, assumed or
conferred
 Accountability--extant to Responsibility
 Authority--power or control to act
Summary (Cont.)
 Delegation includes; variety and
magnitude of responsibilities,
discretion/range of choice allowed in
carrying out responsibilities, authority to
take action/implement decisions without
prior approval, frequency/nature of
reporting requirements & flow of
performance information (feedback).
Summary (Cont.)
 Potential advantages of Delegation;
improvement of decision quality, great
subordinate commitment, time
management, job enrichment &
development of subordinates.
Summary (Cont.)
 Failure to Delegate may reflect strong
need for (personal) power, doubt in
subordinate ability, different values and
objectives in a subordinate, desire to
maintain quality of work, situational
constraints, protection of confidential
information & highly interdependent
subordinate jobs.
Questions?
???

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Leadership & Management

Reading for Lesson 7:

 Not a written document but, rather, a conceptual

 Film excerpt (Complaints go up, not down)

 Conferred by the group over which Authority is

- Serves as basis for accounting for one’s actions or

- Fulfilling responsibilities through the

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