If you haven’t seen it yet, Kodi Lee’s performance on America’s Got Talent last week blew away the judges and earned him the golden buzzer. Kodi is an incredibly talented 22 year old pianist and singer. He’s also autistic and blind.
You can watch his performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDPdRYF7hTQ
When Kodi first came on stage with his mother, his responses lacked 'typical' inflection and were a bit delayed. The majority of people were blown away when Kodi began to sing - his incredible talent was undeniable. I'm certain that many were additionally blown away because of the seemingly large difference between fluency in speech and fluency in singing.
This moment is incredibly important for the neurodiversity movement because it shows that assumptions cannot be made about a person based on any single area of functioning. Many people are against the labels of “high functioning” and “low functioning” for exactly this reason (and more). Perhaps Kodi didn’t have the strongest verbal expression in conversation, but he is nothing short of extraordinary in music. No single trait is indicative of functioning in other areas or of 'overall functioning.' High functioning and low functioning labels are misleading at best and downright damaging at worst. Autistic author Kat Williams dives deeper into this topic if you're interested in learning more.
So what can employers take away from Kodi Lee? Employers often place so much emphasis on interviewing for the right candidate. But what if the most exceptional candidate can’t express his or her brilliance in that interview? What if their skills are beyond your comprehension? What if the most incredible mind lies within a person who is non-verbal?
Communication does not equate with capability. We've seen smooth-talkers who make their way into a job through an exceptional interview but simply don't perform. It's time we consider the flip side: those who might not be able to brag their way through the interview process, but whose capabilities are exceptional.
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