Responsible and involved, whats the difference and why is it important?

In project management and teamwork, clarity of roles is important. Understanding the difference between being responsible for something and being involved in its implementation is a fundamental part that we sometimes see that there is a bit of misunderstanding around. This article explores these roles more deeply so that you can reflect on these the next time you encounter similar situations.

Understanding the Roles

Responsible

Being in charge means that you have ultimate responsibility for a task or project. It is you who are responsible for ensuring that the objectives are met, that schedules are kept, that resources are available and, ultimately, that we succeed.

This does not necessarily mean that you do all the tasks yourself, but you must ensure that they are done, either by delegating or monitoring the work process.

Involved

Being involved means that you are actively working on all or part of a project, deviation, or task. You may not bear the overall responsibility, but your contribution is critical to the successful completion of the task.

Being involved means that you are an important part of the implementation, often through practical work or by contributing expert knowledge.

Why This Distinction Is Important

Clarity of Communication

Clearly defining who is responsible and who is involved facilitates communication within the team. It reduces the risk of misunderstanding and duplication, which in turn contributes to a more efficient work process.

Efficient division of labor

By differentiating these roles, tasks can be delegated in a way that makes the best use of team members' strengths. It ensures that the right person is working on the right task, optimizing team productivity.

Improved Project Management

Understanding who is responsible and involved provides a clearer structure for project management. This makes it easier to follow up on progress, identify bottlenecks and adjust workflow when necessary.

Example: Handling a Deviation

By having a clear structure, you reduce the risk of misunderstandings and maximize the effectiveness of the team. Let's take an example with a deviation detected in the process “Delivery refrigerated goods”:

Role of the Responsible

In this scenario, the responsible person is the one who has the ultimate responsibility for dealing with the anomaly. In this case, the process owner of the part-process “Delivery refrigerated goods”. The latter shall ensure that:

• Review the reported deviation: Ensure that the discrepancy is reported correctly and contains the correct information to take it forward to deeper analysis.
• Analyze and plan: Evaluate the impact of the anomaly and develop an action plan to address it.
• Allocate resources: Ensure adequate resources are available to manage the discrepancy, including getting the right team members involved and assigning tasks.
• Follow-up: Monitor the implementation of the action plan to ensure that the discrepancy is addressed within the given timeframe.

Role of the Participant

The person involved in the management of the anomaly works directly on the specific actions necessary to solve the problem. Their duties may include:

• Implementation of measures: Carry out the actual actions defined in the Action Plan, which may involve solving technical problems, renegotiating with suppliers or adjusting schedules.
• Reporting: Provide regular updates to the person in charge of the progress made in fixing the discrepancy, including any additional issues that arise.
• Expert support: Contribute specific expertise necessary to resolve the discrepancy, such as technical knowledge, legal advice or financial analysis.

Navigating between being responsible and involved may seem challenging at first, but with clear guidelines and open communication, your team will be able to work more coherently and effectively.

Do you need support or tools to deal with things like above? Talk to us today and see how AmpliFlow can help you!

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