Many times, I find myself as the youngest person in the room. Earlier, that used to make me uncomfortable, even a little scared. The instinct was to prove that I belonged. Over time, that emotion shifted. I’ve started to see it as a privilege instead. Being the least experienced person can easily trigger the need to prove something, but I’ve learned that it is often far more valuable to observe first.
Every room carries experience, history and lessons you cannot find in books. When you are younger, you also bring something important. A new perspective. A fresh set of eyes.
This is how I try to approach such moments:
- Listening deeply: I try to understand not just what is being said, but why it is being said. The conversations, the decisions and even the disagreements carry insight.
- Speaking carefully: Silence is not the goal. Contribution is. When I do speak, I try to add value rather than volume.
- Being open to feedback: Growth often sits on the other side of being wrong. Accepting feedback without defensiveness is still a work in progress for me.
I’ve realized experience leaves clues everywhere. If you slow down enough to notice, every room becomes a classroom.
So, to those who create space for younger voices, who allow questions, and who correct with patience, thank you!
Some of us may speak less. But we are always learning.