Ever felt like the new kid at school…when term is already two months in?

You walk into the room. Everyone seems to know where to sit, who to talk to, and how things work. You’re still figuring out the basics - who’s who, what’s expected, and how to contribute without stepping on toes.

That feeling? It’s more common in teams than we like to admit.

Even in high-performing organisations, people can feel like outsiders - uncertain, unheard, or unsure how to speak up. And it’s not about confidence. It’s the environment that gets in the way.

Here are just a few of the barriers I’ve seen in teams in 2025:

·       Lack of knowledge or context on a subject means some colleagues feel left out of discussions.

·       Language barriers, cultural nuances and functional jargon simply result in many colleagues not being able to join in conversations confidently

·       Nearly every team seems to have an ‘old vs. new’ dynamic – with ‘new’ members seeing ‘old’ as stuck in their ways, and ‘old’ seeing ‘new’ as rubbishing everything that’s been done before (it’s rarely this binary!).

·       No explanation of the ”why” behind decisions can make some question the logic or reduce trust.

·       A new leader not taking time to get to know their team and set unclear expectations.

·       Siloed functional objectives overpowering collective goals.

These aren’t just “soft” issues, a phrase I really do not like…they’re performance blockers. When people don’t feel safe or clear enough to contribute, we lose ideas, engagement, and momentum.

So how do we fix it?

✅ Start by listening. Create space for people to share how they’re really feeling - not just about the work, but about the team dynamic. Organisations spend a lot of time on strategy, objectives, KPIs etc., and they should(!)…but not at the expense of time invested in the team dynamics – which frankly delivers on the metrics.

✅ Make the invisible visible. Surface the unspoken norms, assumptions, and tensions. Talk about them openly. Appreciating this may be easier said than done….if you need it, get help from a facilitator or coach.

✅ Clarify the “why.” Behind every decision, every change, every meeting - explain the purpose. It provides clarity, it builds trust and even when colleagues do not like the decision, at least they understand the rationale for it.

✅ Design for inclusion. Check who’s speaking, who’s silent, and who’s missing from the conversation. Observe share of voice in the meeting. Please don’t demand(!), everyone talks. Instead position the challenge you are tackling and how curious you are as a leader to get a diverse set of perspectives so you make the best call.

✅ Define team purpose and roles. When colleagues know what they’re here to do, critically who it’s for – i.e. their key stakeholders – there’s greater common ground for everyone to show up and perform at their most open and best.

Giving your team a voice isn’t about giving everyone a microphone. It’s about creating the conditions where people feel safe, seen, and heard.

Why? Because when people feel they belong, they bring their best.

💬 Have you ever felt like the “new kid” in a team? What helped you find your voice?