Lost Potential

By Barry Wortz, Graduate and Adult Admissions, Admin for Lipscomb University

Receiving an autism diagnosis late in life gave me a new perspective on many of the issues I

had struggled with my entire life. As I dug into research, I found statistics that were as clarifying

as they were staggering: of all disabilities, autism ranks the lowest for employment. Nearly

eighty percent of people with autism, worldwide, are unemployed or underemployed. Autism

affects nearly eighty million people across the globe. Those numbers not only shocked me, but

they also made me want to make a change.

I personally know what those statistics feel like. The job listings that seem promising—until the

interview process. The open office that’s celebrated as “collaborative” but punishes sensory

sensitivity. The feedback that is really code for “be less you.” For years, I tried to bend myself

into the shape of a world designed for a different mind. It cost me. And it costs millions of others

like me—talented, rigorous thinkers who are sidelined not by capability, but by culture and

Design.

As a filmmaker and storyteller, Lost Potential was my way of bringing this truth to the forefront.

It’s a feature-length documentary that follows my journey of discovery while widening the lens to

include a myriad of autistic voices and expert perspectives. Together, we examined the attitudes

and misconceptions that keep autistic talent out of meaningful work—and we charted what it

takes to build workplaces where we can thrive. The film doesn’t shy away from hard truths. But it also isn’t interested in pity. I wanted to highlight the strengths—the “superpowers”—that so

many on the spectrum bring: pattern recognition, deep focus, systems thinking, honesty,

creative problem-solving. While these may seem like only quirks, they’re competitive

advantages when they’re welcomed and resourced.

As the project took shape, something extraordinary happened: Dr. Temple Grandin agreed to be

part of the film. Her voice—pragmatic, visionary, grounded in lived experience and decades of

advocacy—expanded Lost Potential in both ambition and scope. With Temple’s participation, the

film evolved from a personal narrative into a larger conversation about redesigning systems:

rethinking hiring practices, retooling interviews, reimagining management, and building

environments that reduce unnecessary friction and unlock performance. Her presence affirmed

what I had hoped from the start: this isn’t a “special interest” story. It’s an economic, ethical, and

creative imperative.

Lost Potential is the story of what we all lose when we gatekeep talent with norms that were

never neutral. It’s also a blueprint for what we can gain when we design for different

minds—when we trade cultural biases for demonstrable skills, noise for clarity, and conformity

for contribution. It’s for employers ready to do better, people with autism who deserve better,

and anyone who believes that talent shouldn’t have to mask to be seen. The film tells a hard

story, but it points to a better future we can choose.

More about the film:

https://lipscomb.edu/news/documentary-screened-collins-honor-autism-awareness-month