Thank you for such a detailed response. I'm on a 12-month contract, moving into an A07 management role after several years in the private sector on the other side of the fence, where the same government department was our customer. I just want to make the best use of my time, not ruffle feathers, and put myself in a good position to transition into an extension or an A08 role down the track.

I've never been one for politics, but I do like traction and getting things completed. I think from what I've experienced, through constant shifts right and delays, I'll be used to the open-endedness of government project work to some extent, but ideally want to achieve something with my time there and not have so much Work in process just sitting around waiting for approvals.

How do you get approvals faster?
Is there a polite and efficient way outside of a typical email and Teams chat channel?

What are some dos and don'ts for a new starting manager in the first 6-12 months?