Difference between Responsible and Accountable
A person is considered responsible when his work is accountable i.e. task is finished. Responsibility trumps accountability. Though both are identical but each one is focused differently. Being responsible is not enough to reach top position in anything but being accountable is a must.
1. Responsible does not focus on a specific authority instead it refers to general laws of right, and the moral constitution of the universe. Whereas Accountable refers to specific trust that is given and always involves a superior.
2. Accountability refers to ones duty to do something but Responsibility refers to ones power over something.
3. It difficult to observe Responsibility as just a character attribute, instead it is a mental process that operates in everyone exactly the same way.
4. Responsibility mostly focuses on individuals what one can do according to personal integrity with respect to a specific task. Whereas Accountability is focused on what others do and how effective they are in doing are all accountable.
5. Accountability is the judgment and discriminates the level of judgment for the success or failure whether a person is suitable or not by emphasizing the fact of accomplishing certain task. Accountability assumes a prior responsibility.
6. Responsibility is the activity that describes the task. Whereas Accountability forces to perform well or be liable. Accountability is an inbuilt process in a project, where a team member is responsible for any activity that is accountable for that activity in a project.
7. Responsibility is the person who is going to do the task. But Accountability is the answerable situation in case there is some problem in the work being done.
8. Responsibility involves in completing the task faithfully whether you are liable or not for the tasks you are responsible for. Responsibility can be delegated but one cannot delegate accountability to anyone.
9. Responsibility is the ownership of making an effort whereas Accountability is the liability of the outcome of the effort.