Connections Quote by Edward Conlon
““On the second to last day, Lt. Russo, who ran the program, announced, "Unless you were at dinner last night and had the opportunity to say 'Howard, pass the salt,' you are going to Brooklyn North and Manhattan North. That's where they need people, and that's where you're going." "Howard" referred to to the Commissioner Safir, and when they read the list of assignments the next afternoon-- "Alvarez... Brooklyn North..." "Baker... Brooklyn North..." "Buono... Manhattan North..." "Calderon... Brooklyn North..." "Conlon... South Bronx Initiative..." --more than a few people turned around to look. Howard, pass the salt. I was a little surprised myself.””
About This Quote
Source Memoir: “The New York Police Department: A History” by Edward Conlon, 2010
A senior officer used a casual phrase to illustrate how assignments are often decided by arbitrary factors rather than merit.
In simple terms: Assignments can be random and influenced by informal cues.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and navigate informal power dynamics.
Themes
bureaucracy
authority
randomness
Mood
skeptical
reflective
Type
anecdotal
observational
When to use this quote
- career planning
- job interviews
- team assignments
- networking
Key Concepts
organizational behavior
social cues
Questions to Reflect On
- How do informal signals affect your career moves?
- Can you identify hidden criteria in your organization?
A Different Perspective
Assignments may still be influenced by hidden biases despite formal processes.
![“[Juan Wauters] got the tips for Queens because he grew up there.So him and my roommate, Matt Volz, they hooked me up, New York Style.” quote by Mac DeMarco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/119/mac-demarco-7654_grew_juan-wauters-got-the-tips-for-queens-bec_932784.jpg)
![“My chronology is terrible. [Work with William Shawn] must have some ago. It was after he was fired by Newhouse. After New - when Newhouse bought The New Yorker, he said in one of those grand press” quote by Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b15/nat-hentoff-1615_chronology_my-chronology-is-terrible-work-with-will_68342.jpg)
![“During voir dire, the interviews for jury selection, each person is asked under oath about their experience with the criminal justice system, as defendant or victim, but usually not even the most elementary effort is made to corroborate those claims. One ADA [Associate District Attorney] told me…” quote by Edward Conlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d1d/edward-conlon-33074_cops_during-voir-dire-the-interviews-for-jury_1540504.jpg)
![“The social [media channel] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection, and community. That's what there's too little of in today's mediascape, despite all the hoopla surrounding social tools. The promise…” quote by Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c85/umair-haque-25881_beauty_the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-bea_1270.jpg)
