be  written  into  law.  The  assumption  of  this  authority leads some to perform actions “above and beyond the call of duty.” It leads others to do their everyday jobs better than they really have to. Authority, then, lies in the law, in the respect of your workers, and in your own ability to lead. General  Authority All persons in the naval service are required to maintain good order and discipline to the best of their ability and extent of their authority. All persons in the naval service have the right to exercise proper authority over  those  persons  subordinate  to  them.  Conversely,  all persons in the naval service are charged to obey readily and   execute   promptly   all   lawful   orders   of   their superiors. Limits of Authority Authority includes the right to require actions of others by oral or written orders. Orders must be lawful and  not  characterized  by  tyrannical  or  capricious conduct,   or   by   abusive   language.   Organizational authority beyond that necessary to fulfill assigned duties and  responsibilities  is  not  delegated.  Authority  should never   be   delegated   beyond   the   lowest   level   of competence and may be limited by command. DELEGATING  AUTHORITY Delegating  authority  means  a  person  in  authority may send another person to act or transact business on his or her behalf. Delegating authority does not relieve a person of responsibility. Personnel at each level should delegate  as  much  decision  making  authority  as  possible to  the  level  below  them  and  hold  those  people accountable. This accounting gives the person to whom the individuals report an account of their success or failure. PURPOSE OF DELEGATING Many managers have great difficulty delegating authority  (power).  Delegation  is  not  giving  away  power. Power-motivated managers make their subordinates feel  stronger  through  sharing  their  power.  You  retain responsibility when you delegate power; indeed, you cannot give away or delegate responsibility. When  delegating  a  task,  also  delegate  the  authority necessary to carry out a task. Failure to do this negates the  purpose  of  delegation.  Withholding  power  results  in less  confident  subordinates  who  are  afraid  to  attempt projects for fear of failure. In  today’s  Navy,  personnel  cuts  and  reductions  in force among officer ranks is commonplace. Many senior and master chiefs now fill billets formerly occupied by officers.  You  may  not  be  commissioned,  but  the responsibility goes with the position. You cannot “do it all” and still hope to do a good job. Delegation is an essential part of management. Learn to use it and reap the benefits. Your subordinates will learn to act with confidence and a sense of responsibility that is only learned through experience. Your own job will be much easier, with more time for training future managers. Managers  are  often  guilty  of  delegating burdensome tasks that should remain at their level. A manager must know when to delegate and when to do a task  personally.  Avoid  overtasking  your  subordinates.  If a particular job needs your personal attention, it should not be delegated. Delegation is a tool you should use to manage your time so that you will be able to perform these  tasks. RESPONSIBILITY  AND  ACCOUNTABILITY Standard  Organization  and  Regulations  of  the  U.S. Navy  (SORN),  OPNAVINST  3120.32B,  states  the following: “Authority should be delegated to the lowest level   of   competence   commensurate   with   the subordinate’s  assigned  responsibility  and  capabilities. The principles of delegation also recognize, however, that officers at all levels must be accountable ultimately for the performance of their organizational segments even  if  they  have  charged  subordinates  with  immediate authority for managing certain functions.” GUIDELINES FOR DELEGATING To follow through on planning and organizing and optimizing  use  of  resources,  you  must  delegate effectively. To delegate effectively, you must exercise the  following  leadership  traits: Clearly   delegate authority   for   task accomplishment to others. Use the chain of command to get your people to share in task management. Encourage your people to seek responsibility by ways other than direct orders to do a job. Effective delegation is not just assigning work; it also includes motivating your people by extending to 4-3