How many times in your life have you been underestimated? Never undervalue the power of underestimation. They cannot stop you if they do not see you coming.

That was probably Donald Trump’s chief advantage in the last election. That’s an asset Joe Biden, by design or default, has hijacked. No one saw either one of them coming.

Lesson? Being underestimated is among the biggest competitive advantages you can have… and we should embrace it. It can be powerful in almost every negotiation. It connotes “freedom” in the greatest sense of the word… free to walk away from the table if necessary. Embrace it.

I know several young children with autism. I underestimated their intelligence. In fact, they are brilliant and that asset will serve – and hinder – them in life.

These brilliant children are defined by their non-traditional way of communicating. Never underestimate the power they possess in the knowledge they have.

They believe in themselves. No one expects the meek and angelic to set the world on fire as they pile up their advantages.

I often speak of the miracle of Wilma Rudolph. Before she died in 1994, I had the privilege of interviewing her. One of the many quotes attributed to her: “Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion. The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”

Autistic children define their fears differently. Their creed could be “I know what I am capable of. You would be wise not to underestimate me.”

We may take their quiet way to be a lack of confidence. But they are simply better listeners than we are.

For autistic children, life does not get easier. They simply get stronger. Why? Some are blessed with unusually high IQs.

A childhood friend and I were wondering how 6 million Jews walked almost voluntarily into the ovens of Auschwitz. My friend thought they followed those who led, thinking they knew something others did not. They blindly followed the blind.

The autistic could be the best people to follow. They know and think more than they say and notice more than you realize.

Michael Aun, CSP®, CPAE® is the author The Toastmasters International Guide to Successful Speaking