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Distributing assignments efficiently is a science in its own right, and a proactive leader does it well. Being sure the right people are assigned to the right tasks is where it starts. It goes on to include being sure things are done in the right order, at the right time. The science of efficiency expands out to include avoiding bottlenecks, eliminating any loss of resources and materials, preventing errors and having to do things over again, and getting continuous feedback from customers. Achieving and maintaining efficiency is quite complex.
For a proactive leader though, there is an underlying dimension skilled leaders emphasize at least as much as maximizing the efficient conversion of resources into products and services that are fully responsive to the needs and interests of customers. a proactive leader does not take advantage of anyone. The secret is that there are obvious and not so obvious ways people are taken advantage of, and a proactive leader avoids them all.
The most blatant abuse happens when a good team member has more and more work piled on top of work piled on yesterday. Another version of the same kind of abuse happens when work is given to someone just because the leader is not going to get any hassle or flack. Some people have positive attitudes and just do not say, No, when asked to do something. They are simply too nice for their own good, but fortunately, a proactive leader understands even his best workhorse can be run too fast or pushed too hard. The best of them needs a good measure of oats and some time in the barn now and then. …