Find the Unofficial Rules Before You Try to Change Anything

Every workplace has two sets of rules: the ones in the handbook and the ones everyone follows but nobody wrote down. Maybe decisions are really made in casual hallway chats, not formal meetings. Maybe a certain executive's pet project is untouchable. Learn these invisible norms by observing, asking trusted colleagues, and paying attention to what gets rewarded and what gets punished. Once you understand the real game, you'll know which rules to play by and which ones are worth challenging.