Warren buffet cites Ben Graham, author of “The Intelligent Investor”, as a principle inspiration earlier in his career. Warren said he would look for “used cigar butts, and try to get a few puffs out of them” before selling. Charlie Munger helped Warren revise the strategy and focus on investing in good companies, and good prices (undervalued), and holding for the long term.

There are people without college degrees, low to medium status pedigrees, and with disabilities — all three signal to some employers, “this is a bad hire.” Perhaps an employer might get turned off by someone with ADHD as being unable to focus. Maybe an employer thinks someone without a college degree lacks domain knowledge and skills — perhaps commitment.

If you and I search for talent the way that Warren and Charlie search for stocks, we would take a different approach. You and I would focus on looking for people high in conscientiousness, drive, sturdiness, generativeness, and that are happy and fun to be around. We would look for people that others might have looked away from — you and I might find a “disability” signals “potential highly developed abilities.”

Like an investor, you and I hope to retain the talent at a good price — undervalued. You and I would hold the talent for as long as possible — nurturing its growth and productivity. Later, we would need to let go of the now much more valuable talent.

Exploitative? No. Investing in people, nurturing their grow, and then helping them achieve something better is a great and fine pursuit.