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Comment by _1qd4 | Hacker News Reader

I call this method of team building the "island of mistfit toys", it is something I practice on my team since I was a misfit toy myself.

I disagree that training juniors keeps them loyal. When you bring someone the island of misfit toys and they get some experience and success, they no longer see themselves as a misfit toy. But when they come in to the office in the morning, they look all around them and see misfit toys. But I am not a misfit toy any more! I can leave the island now!

Misfit toys are hungry people! They want to prove that they can do it, since by all other metrics they should not be able to. And once they have proven they can do it, they leave to find better appreciation of their talents.

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I didn't have that experience. Possibly because I didn't see this great team as being made up of "misfit toys", which is a bit denigrating to be honest. My team was mostly made up of awesome people who were being overlooked by completely shit recruitment processes.

That’s the story of the island of misfit toys though; They were still fun toys to play with, but they didn’t fit the mould, and so didn’t get sold.

I don’t find it denigrating, but I also was a bit of a punk in high school, so it’s a label I’m comfortable with.

I think you might be comfortable with it. But, any one that isn't would smile and take your offer then leave as soon as some one comes along that doesn't call them a toy.

Oh yes, because I definitely openly call people misfit toys, especially when I have just met them and am interviewing them for a professional job. Come on, it’s just a metaphor I use in my head. Have you even seen the movie?

I'm not say you openly call them that. but, you have to be careful about subordinates. A lot of them like to smile and agree then be pissed behind your back.

not only that, but if you call them that in your head, it influences your attitudes subtly.

I spent a couple of years calling subordinates "minions" (before the movies, but remarkably similar mental concept). It took a drunken conversation with a perceptive colleague to change that. It was amazing how much my attitudes to my people changed after I stopped thinking of them as "minions".

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