The 'Distinct DEF-ers (duffers)': The opportunity to be harnesed!! Let's not forget these unique individuals!!!

The dictionary meaning of ‘defer’ is to act in a dilatory manner and thus lay something aside: to delay; the meaning of “DISTINCT’ is to recognizably different in nature from something else of a similar type: unique.

This blog is dedicated with thanks to my unique DEFer friends and my brother who now is a successful entrepreneur and also my best friend!!

For this blog I have aptly coined 'DEF-ers' (for reading pleasure read as 'duffers)'with individuals with DEF-grades ; these individuals are unique compared to our and social norms. DEF-ers are generally laid aside or delayed in absorption in our society; they are generally mis-undersood or never considered for any opportunity. The society then ends up wasting this unique talent and/or creating anti-social elements, cost of which is finally borne by the society.

DEF-ers are either slow learners as their priorities in life are different compared to the education or professional norms, or these are gifted minds that think and act differently compared to the social norms. DEF-ers generally have a tendency to learn using abnormal and unique methods which could be disruptive or destroying the norm and rebuilding differently or reverse engineering the normal. 

DEF-ers remain deferred (or completely shut off) for admissions to schools, colleges, job opportunities and/or an opportunity to scale the social ladder. Our current education system and society does not provide enough opportunities to these unique DEFer talents as the focus remains on 'mass production' and 'material achievements' versus living a life which for every one is a unique journey born out his genetics, environment and family.

The ‘DEF-ers’, DEF-graders’, face challenges in our society as their unique personalities and opinions are always relegated to the back benches; in other words they remain ‘outliers’ on thine bell curve until they start to fly as ‘black swans’.  We fail to recognize their challenges to in adapt and learn in a normal pre-programmed environment, or their unique learning abilities that often is seen as lack of discipline or disruptive to norm. Though many countries have special schools and colleges for these unique individuals - institutions that focus on sports, physical education, arts, motoring skills, etc.. There is a lot to be done to change the attitude, approach and infrastructure for the DEFers.

Example few DEF-ers are very good sportsmen, their priority up to age 18 is their health and formal education is a lesser priority; they believe that an early investment in good and healthy body is a life-long investment. Catching up on education, a good career, and money can be easily achieved with a healthy body. Without a healthy body, education, career and money isn’t useful. Investment in a healthy body remains is lifelong; education and career can only last a few years. This raises another important question on education –isn’t it worth to be overly focused on health and sports education (with a modest age paced learning) starting from age 2 or worth starting from age 18! A good sports driven education also encourages sportsmanship, team play and leadership skills.

The risk averseness and reputation risk of individuals, society, and corporates fails to recognize the DEF-ers hidden talent and abilities. Thus, the DEFers remain unique, untapped and a forgotten class of extra-ordinary class of individuals that. Though, there is much talk about diversity and inclusion but the DEFers still remain out of bounds. So what is unique of DEFers is their ability to be contrarian and rebellious, think differently outside the social and cultural norms, and create disruptive processes and actions. Harnessing the uniqueness of the DEFers creates a different product and processes, help enhance security, provides unique perspectives, helps enhance risk taking by the group, etc.

Tapping the DEFers -   education system, teachers, parents to recognize the unique talent and help understand (and make other children) understand their uniqueness and channel it in the right direction ! Each DEFer to recognize his own talent and uniqueness - work on individual plan to choose appropriate career or pursue entrepreneurship!  Companies may consider DEFers for job application and interviews, hire atleast one different talent, respect them and give them a voice! All companies need some DEFers as contrarians so here is the opportunity to harness and channel the ‘DEFers’ energies in a calibrated manner to innovate or understand our customers unique needs, create disruption to our existing process and products that eventually helps in re-engineering and improving, the products and process; introduce a calibrated disruption to our normal life that re-energizes the team and also infuses competition and enhances productivity and innovation.  What's unique to DEFerers are that their personality is that of an alpha risk taker, they could game the system (re-engineer), comeback to work next day without any baggage, street smart that will get the work done and positively shake up the system! 

I too had been a backbencher during the early years until the recognition that I need to be mainstream!  Something unique that I learned in my journey of a DEFer that I still cherish is being humble,  empathetic,  street smart, analytical, innovative, entrepreneurial, ethical, recognizing the boundaries and guarding reputation, and a problem solver which enriches my unique contributions to the society, the community and my friends, my work, my family, and life journey!

"Not weird, nor a freak, nor weak... but unique and distinct, I am what I am…...dare to be different; thinking and doing differently. Life is long so I keep enjoying what I do.  People laugh because I am different, I smile because they too are different! "  

In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different – Coco Chanel

The story also can relate well with those who are physically and mentally challenged.

Everyone is unique!!