Left out of the conversation

It’s a strange kind of frustration, the sort that quietly builds rather than explodes. I learn that a policy is being developed, one that directly affects my team, yet I’ve had no input. No conversation, no consultation, not even a courtesy heads-up. It leaves me feeling sidelined, as though the experience and insight I bring to the table aren’t valued. What makes it worse is knowing I’ll ultimately be responsible for implementing whatever is decided. I’m expected to explain it, enforce it, and manage the fallout, all without the chance to shape it in a practical, grounded way. It’s hard not to think the outcome would be better if those of us closer to the day-to-day realities were involved earlier.

There’s also an awkwardness that arises when my team asks questions I can’t answer properly, which can be quite uncomfortable. This situation chips away at confidence, affecting both theirs and mine. I often find myself trying to interpret decisions I had no part in making, which only adds to the frustration. More than anything, it feels like a missed opportunity, not just for me but for the organisation as a whole. I believe that with better collaboration, we could have turned some of these frustrating moments into opportunities for genuine growth and effectiveness.