The person joining an activity for the first time needs directions more than comparisons.

Someone arriving new has nowhere to put a comparison. Telling them how they measure against the regulars, or against how quickly you picked it up, hands them a feeling without handing them a move. What they can actually use is where to stand, what happens next, and which part they are allowed to get wrong. Orientation makes a person able; ranking only makes them watched.

Welcoming a newcomer this week, hold the assessment back and give the next step instead. Say where things are kept and what usually happens first. Comparison can wait until they have something to compare.