distribute responsibility

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "distribute responsibility" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the division of tasks and obligations to multiple people. For example, "The manager distributed responsibility among the team members to ensure everyone had a role to play in the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Those who choose it, or urge others to, cannot evade or distribute responsibility by asserting that "we live in a fallen world".

The New York Times

As Henry Mintzberg noted in The Structuring of Organizations in 1979, "The words centralization and decentralization have been bandied about for as long as anyone has cared to write about organizations". And that is a pretty long time, at least since 400 B.C., when Jethro advised Moses to distribute responsibility to various levels in the hierarchy.

Harvard Business Review

When artificial agents 'behave badly' they can be dealt with directly, when their autonomous behavior and complexity makes it too difficult to distribute responsibility among human agents.

SEP

Ally training, of course, is not going to end sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination, but it can help distribute responsibility and to rid the industry of problematic people.

TechCrunch

Companies that continue to distribute responsibility haphazardly and diffusely will find their content marketing less effective and more costly than those who have a solid plan for content creation and distribution.

Forbes

This isn't meant to punish those with more simply to foster dependence among those with less, but rather to distribute responsibility for the destiny of society as a whole.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

But beyond simply serving as guides, the maps also made community residents more aware, bringing them together around the subject of emergencies and encouraging them to discuss priorities and distribute responsibilities.

Harvard University

Authorities on a municipal and county level are supposed to co-operate, but existing models and best practise examples on how to distribute responsibilities are often missing [11].

European Transport Research Review

Should principals be leaders with a vision who distribute responsibilities among other actors?

Huffington Post

Since no precise directions are given, students are encouraged to develop team work strategies, distribute responsibilities and accurately and appropriately annotate the information gathered.

Plosone

The open information flow, accompanied by more distributed responsibility, supports compelling innovation, collaboration, and responsiveness.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "distribute responsibility", ensure that each person's role and level of accountability are clearly defined to prevent confusion and ensure effective collaboration.

Common error

Avoid vaguely "distributing responsibility" without specifying individual tasks or expected outcomes, which can lead to diffusion of accountability and ultimately hinder progress.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "distribute responsibility" functions as a verb phrase that describes the action of allocating or assigning duties, tasks, or obligations to multiple individuals or entities within a group, organization, or system. Ludwig AI confirms this usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "distribute responsibility" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase that effectively communicates the act of sharing tasks and accountability among individuals or groups. As Ludwig AI points out, this phrase is correct and serves to divide obligations effectively. Although its frequency is uncommon, it appears across diverse contexts, including news, science, academia, and formal business settings. When using the phrase, ensure clarity in defining individual roles and outcomes to prevent confusion and ensure successful collaboration. Alternatives like "delegate responsibility" or "allocate responsibilities" may be used to provide nuances in meaning depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Spread responsibility

Implies distributing the weight or burden of responsibility across multiple parties.

Delegate responsibility

Focuses on assigning tasks to others, implying a clear transfer of accountability.

Allocate responsibilities

Refers to formally assigning tasks and duties, often in an organizational context.

Assign accountability

Emphasizes making individuals answerable for specific outcomes or actions.

Share the workload

Highlights the even distribution of tasks to ease burden on any one individual.

Pass on responsibilities

Highlights the transfer of duties from one person or group to another.

Divvy up responsibilities

Suggests a structured division of duties among a group.

Hand out responsibilities

Suggests a deliberate allocation of duties, possibly in a casual setting.

Disperse duties

Emphasizes scattering or spreading out tasks to avoid concentration in one area.

Decentralize authority

Involves diffusing power and decision-making capabilities across an organization.

FAQs

How can I use "distribute responsibility" effectively in a team setting?

Clearly define roles, set measurable goals, and provide necessary resources to ensure team members can successfully manage their assigned tasks after you "distribute responsibility".

What is the difference between "delegate responsibility" and "distribute responsibility"?

"Delegate responsibility" implies a hierarchical transfer of tasks, while "distribute responsibility" suggests a more egalitarian sharing of duties among peers.

Are there contexts where it's inappropriate to "distribute responsibility"?

In situations requiring specialized expertise or immediate decision-making, it may be more effective to centralize responsibility rather than "distribute responsibility" widely.

What phrases are similar to "distribute responsibility"?

Alternatives include "allocate responsibilities", "spread responsibility", or "share the workload", depending on the specific context and desired emphasis.