That is, he is taking responsibility for the result, but not the actions that led to it. In fact, he suggested in his testimony that some of his officers had let him down by failing at their own duties. He also offered a quote from Teddy Roosevelt about how a good officer needs to delegate responsibilities to his officers. Real Responsibility is the result of Accountability. Accountability A leader is accountable for the responsibility of those in his or her charge.
Accountability is the standard against which responsibility is measured.
Accountability is the quantitative equivalent of an individual s willingness to be at risk. It is therefore the equivalent of an individual s right to fail. A submarine is an inherently dangerous place. The real enemy, the sea, is an unforgiving adversary. You fail only once.