Even when you ask all the right questions, request the key documents, and do your homework during the interview process, there’s no way to understand a job fully until you’re in the seat.

Back in July, I wrote about the onboarding documents I always request as a new CEO including org charts, financials, strategic plans, board rosters, staff goals. They give you a snapshot of the organization’s structure and strategy, but they don’t always tell the full story.

Because sometimes the job you land isn’t quite the job you expected.

You may have stepped into a role expecting to refine and execute a strategy, only to realize that the strategy doesn’t exist or that the data underneath it doesn’t hold up. You may have anticipated a strong staff team and instead find dysfunction. Or maybe it’s the board dynamics that catch you off guard. Regardless of where the surprises show up, the first step is the same: take a deep breath and assess the situation.

You’ll want to figure out whether the gap is in the business, the staff, or the board.

If it’s the business, you’ll need to dig in on performance. Are programs delivering the promised outcomes? Is revenue meeting projections? Is there data to support key decisions? You can take a very action-oriented approach here: launch a review, realign priorities, and/or sunset programs that aren’t working. You will have to balance quick wins with longer-term shifts, but at least you’re dealing with concrete changes.

If it’s the staff, you also have a lot of options to make changes and refine your approach. You can adjust how you meet and communicate. You can provide coaching or bring in external support. You can reorganize, hire new talent, or make tough calls about who stays. Culture and morale are shaped by many forces, but leadership is one of the biggest. You can make a real difference here with respect, clarity, and communication.

If it’s the board, the work is trickier. This is where I see the biggest disconnects. Maybe you thought you were joining an organization where the board operates at the strategic level, but they’re buried in operations. Maybe you expected mutual trust, but instead find your decisions second-guessed or undermined.

Start by assessing the source. Is it one or two individuals, or does the behavior reflect a deeper board culture? Individual dynamics can often be addressed through relationship-building and direct conversation. But if the root issue is cultural, it’s unlikely to shift quickly.

That doesn’t mean you give up. It means you treat the board the way you would any other key stakeholder group. You listen, observe, and recalibrate. You look for where influence exists and how decisions get made. And you find ways to build trust through conversation, small actions and consistency.