Accountability vs Responsibility

PMP Terminologies
Let’s speak about some of the terminologies related to Human
Resource Knowledge area. In HR we come across a few terminologies which look
similar, but there is difference in terms of definition.
Accountability vs Responsibility
Accountability is taking ownership of the out come/result of
a project, and who is answerable. Responsibility is the duty or the activities
to be performed. Simple example is in a group of team headed by project
Manager, the team executing the job are responsible and the PM is accountable.
For a given activity, there can be only one accountable and multiple people who
will be responsible.
RACI vs RAM
The accountability and responsibility can be represented by
the RACI model.
R-Responsibility, A-Accountability, C-Consult and I-Inform.
RACI model provides the picture of roles and responsibility
of a particular activity or set of activities. It is represented in the form of
Matrix.
The matrix which is explaining the roles and responsibility
of the people who are working on an activity or a set of activities is called Responsibility Assignment Matrix or
RAM.
Role vs Responsibility
Role can be individual or group or the function/department.
Responsibility is the activities that are carried out by the individual or
group of people or the function/department.
For example: Project Manager is the role and the
responsibility is to carry out the activities like planning, execution,
monitoring & control, closure etc…

Authority vs Power
Power is ability to impose the will where as Authority is
right to apply those power.
For example right to apply or use project resources,
spending funds, making decisions or give approvals.

Personal Power vs Positional Power
We understood what is the meaning of power? Power is referred by more than one name.
There are five forms of powers which a Project Manager can posses.
Legitimate: The power derived from position and also called formal power.
Reward: The power of rewarding directly or indirectly to the
team. The reward can be by appreciation, motivation, monetary, salary
etc.. If nothing can be done, just say Thank you! You can read 101 ways to
reward Team members by Kevin Aquanno.
Referent: The power derived from personality.
Expert: The power
derived out of the expertise may in the technical aspects.
Penalty: Penalizing the team members directly or indirectly.
This is also called coercive or
punishment.
Positional powers are derived
from the position of the Project Manager. Legitimate, Reward and Penalty are
derived from positional powers.
Personal powers are derived from
the Project Manager himself/herself. For
example when the Project Manager is technically expert, the team members will
follow him. Expert and Referent are derived from Personal power.
If you generalise, among the
above, Expert is the best form of power. Will you agree?