What statement best distinguishes empowerment from delegation?

• A. Empowerment gives employees authority to make decisions and own outcomes, with broad latitude.
• B. Delegation gives employees broad decision-making authority without accountability.
• C. Empowerment requires precise task assignments with limited discretion.
• D. Delegation eliminates the need for performance feedback.

Answer: (A)

Empowerment is about granting employees the authority to make decisions and to own the resulting outcomes, with broad latitude to act. This combination of decision-making power and accountability for results distinguishes it from simple delegation, which transfers tasks with defined boundaries while the manager retains most control and overall accountability. The statement that describes empowerment in terms of real authority and ownership, exercised with wide discretionary space, best captures the distinction. Delegation can involve shifting tasks, but it doesn’t typically remove the need for oversight or grant the same level of discretionary freedom, and it doesn’t imply ownership of outcomes. Performance feedback remains important in both approaches.