PRINCIPLES OF DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY IN A HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT

SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES DISCUSSED ARE (1) ONCE AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVELY DELEGATED AVOID REASSIGNING THEM UPWARDS IN THE ORGANIZATION, (2) ESTABLISH A SYSTEM OF PRIORITY OF IMPORTANCE AND DELEGATE ACCORDINGLY, (3) FORCE SUBORDINATES TO MAKE DECISIONS ON MATTERS THAT HAVE BEEN DELEGATED TO THEM, (4) WHEN SERVING ON A COMMITTEE, FORCE THE COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP A FINAL CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION, (5) FORCE THE INTERMEDIATE SUPERVISORS TO DELEGATE, (6) RE-EVALUATE THE POSITION OF THE ASSISTANT DIVISION HEAD AND ASSISTANT DISTRICT ENGINEER, (7) DELETE AND GUARD AGAINST UNNECESSARY REVIEWS AND CHECKS, AND (8) HONOR RATHER THAN UNDERMINE THE PRINCIPLES OF DELEGATION.