The Toxic Team: New vs Old

As teams grow, a toxic situation can happen: old, "advanced", members of the team may start treating the new, "newbie", colleagues in a condescending way.

While new team members require introduction, and support from the already established team, it is sometimes pushed too far when behavior of the existing team starts being a power play.

In a way, it's a sign of poor processes, and organization, when new teammates require lots of detailed introduction and onboarding.

First step in resolving "new vs old" toxic behavior is reminding everyone that the purpose of the team is collaboration, and that different mindsets and approaches are beneficial for the team's innovation.

Second step is establishing an efficient structure of the team, and processes, in a way that is clear for both old, and new teammates: internal documentation, tooling, procedures to follow.

Remember that your attitude makes or breaks the team. Be kind, and supportive, because only then you will let yourself and your teammates grow!