It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, and it’s your first day in your dream job. You are the number two in a new organization. You worked hard to get here. You survived multiple interview rounds, networked relentlessly, and spent weeks winding down responsibilities in your previous role. Now what?

Last summer, I was fortunate enough to land my dream job: deputy city manager in my own community. I have lived in Arvada for more than 20 years and care deeply about the city I now help serve. On the day my appointment was announced, I happened to be on an ICMA ACAO committee call. When I shared the news, ICMA Midwest regional director Matt Fulton quipped, “Congratulations…grocery shopping will never be the same again!”

Many assistants and deputies are promoted from within, but entering a new organization presents a unique challenge. We have to learn a new community, governing body, culture, and portfolio while quickly earning trust and demonstrating value.

How we show up and lead in all directions matters. Here are a few lessons from my first year.

Know Why You Were Selected

Before I started, I spent time with my city manager and co-deputy to understand why they hired me. Not just why I got the job, but why they believed I was the right person for this moment. At this level, organizations don’t hire you simply because you interviewed well. They hire you because they believe your experiences, perspective, and leadership style can help solve a problem or seize an opportunity.

In my case, they wanted a fresh perspective and someone willing to respectfully challenge assumptions. Knowing that helped me understand how I could contribute from day one. That means telling your boss what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. It means creating enough trust that disagreement can happen privately so alignment can happen publicly.

One lesson I’ve learned is that timing matters. Being right is not enough. Knowing when and how to raise an issue is often just as important as the issue itself. And know when simply to listen rather than fix. I’m still working on that one!

Use the Fresh Start

A new organization gives you something rare: a clean slate. While our strengths and weaknesses tend to follow us wherever we go, a new role allows us to be intentional about how we show up. Ask yourself: What habit or behavior from your last job are you choosing not to bring with you?

For me, it was the frustration I sometimes showed during difficult budget discussions. I was effective, but not always at my best, especially when I felt that colleagues weren’t grasping the fiscal reality.

A fresh start is a chance to break old patterns before they become part of your new reputation. Don’t waste it.

Learn Fast: Ask the Dumb Questions

As assistants and deputies, we are professional learners. My portfolio changed dramatically when I changed organizations. I moved from overseeing primarily internal services to leading operational departments such as public works, utilities, parks, and community development. The temptation is to project confidence by acting like you know more than you do. Don’t.

Nobody expects you to know everything in your first year. They do expect you to learn. The longer you wait to ask a question, the more people assume you already know the answer. And it’s through the act of being curious that you might hit on something that others have been wondering about but have never thought to challenge.

In my first few months, we were debriefing a particularly challenging council meeting where staff felt attacked and belittled. I asked, “Why do we allow councilmembers to interrupt staff presentations?” And that was the moment we decided to do things differently. As my superhero Ted Lasso says, be curious.

Your Team: Earn Trust Before You Spend It

One of the biggest mistakes a new deputy can make is assuming that the title comes with trust. It doesn’t. Your team wants to know whether you understand their work, whether you’ll support them when things get tough, and whether you’re bringing solutions or simply creating more work.

In addition to visiting facilities, attending staff meetings and doing ride-alongs, listen carefully for the challenges your team is experiencing without voicing directly and see if there is something you can do to support them. In my case, I was able to help validate that a recent department reorganization was not yet complete because a critical position had too many direct reports and the job wasn’t manageable. Trust is built in small moments long before it is tested in big ones.

Final Thoughts

Your first year is about proving worthy of the trust that came with the opportunity. So ask the questions. Build the relationships. Learn the culture. Challenge when necessary. Support relentlessly. And remember: grocery shopping will never be the same again.

ALLISON SCHECK is deputy city manager for Arvada, Colorado. (linkedin.com/allisonhamiltonscheck)