Don't be afraid to speak out. Avoid regular meetings. They are a waste of time. Answer email promptly. If you don't have time to answer email, don't read it.
Secrecy is bad.
Tell people what you are doing and why you are doing it or don't do it at all. Ignore organizational hierarchies and structures. They change frequently, and have nothing to do with people's skills, interests, or abilities. Don't assume someone in charge knows what is best. It is easier to step around a bureaucracy, or work on something else than to waste time dealing with it.