The new rower in the boat has to trust seven strangers with every stroke. Joining anything is a trust fall.

Joining anything means accepting that your result now depends on people you have had no time to assess. You cannot verify them in advance, so the trust goes out first and the evidence arrives later. That order feels wrong and it is unavoidable, in a boat and in most other things worth being part of. Groups only function because somebody decides to trust ahead of proof.

Where you are the new one, give that trust early and in small pieces. Do your own part exactly and on time, and let reliability be what you offer while you are still learning.