The Role of the Official

The fundamental role of the official is to cause the game to progress smoothly within the rules. As an official, you commit yourself to these two interrelated responsibilities. You must see that the game proceeds as it’s meant to - that is, in accordance with the rules. At the same time, you charge yourself with ensuring that the action proceeds smoothly, with as little interference on your part as possible.
However, this is not to say that rule enforcement should be neglected. The competent official should not only be concerned about penalizing rule infractions, but also preventing rule infractions before they occur.