“Out of the mouths of clients”   Understanding and implementing an accountability-based-management system requires a clear distinction between the terms accountability and responsibility. This is important since, despite their common use synonymously, a clear definition of what each means in an accountability hierarchy is required for clarity. Recently, in work with Michele Harradence, Vice President, Operations and EHS for Spectra Energy Transmission West, based in Calgary, Michele very clearly had the distinction in her mind. As she put it, “Responsibility implies a feeling; accountability is a fact.”

CORE International | Organization Design Consultants