Anyone who has been the chief technical officer under several chief executive officers, or the division director of product development under several division heads, will be the first to tell you that each one is different. But chances are that the methods used to keep the boss informed did not change to suit the needs and styles of the different general managers, unless he/she insisted on the change. Here are examples of three very different CEOs, composites from real life, but with names changed to protect the innocent and guilty alike. The methods used to keep the CEOs informed evolved to suit the styles of the three chief executives, and all three approaches ultimately accomplished the objective of timely, fact-based information flow regarding progress of key product development projects. Maybe you can see familiar traits based on your current top executive and add or subtract communication tools as appropriate. Communication to the top is vitally important, but the CEO's time is very valuable. The approach that makes the CEO most willing to give his time, and best uses that time, is the one to choose. CONVENER OF THE COURT is a seasoned executive who has led his corporation very predictably from its small beginnings to its current position as the major corporate leader in its field. He has done it via a growth record that is almost like clockwork. Earnings are predictable and reliable. Development of new products is the key to growth and receives much of the CEO's attention. He is technically trained and prides himself on being well-informed on the technical details of all the key projects. Dr. Justice runs his workday the way he runs the company--on schedule. His calendar is planned far in advance, and he is famous for keeping all his appointments once they are made. Meetings start on time and end on time. Members of his team would prefer to be fired rather than arrive late for his meetings. He sticks to the agenda and interrupts only rarely, then usually with a very insightful remark based on his many years of experience with the product lines and the technology. He is noted for his flytrap memory, especially for promises and milestone dates. The key communication tools for Dr. Justice are the monthly project review meeting, held in the executive conference room, and the critical path project schedule. The audience is an assembly of the key executives of the company. The agenda is a list of projects from the top 20 projects that will result in the strategically important new product introductions in the years to come. Every project is reviewed at least quarterly. The only presenters are project leaders, and their only exhibits are the project schedules, plus product samples when available. The critical path is highlighted in red as a straight horizontal time-line across the oversized chart, with key milestones as clear vertical marks along the way. Once the schedule is carefully laid out, the original milestones cannot be erased, so slippages stand out vividly against the original plan. The key to success, as far as project leaders are concerned, is to meet the original launch date as planned. If a project is on schedule, there is little discussion. On the other hand, if a project is starting to show slippage, there is often much discussion of how to get it back on schedule, and everyone is expected to contribute. All suggestions are duly noted and are expected to be mentioned at the next meeting. In summary, the project schedule is the key communication tool, and top management takes project milestone commitments very seriously. Slippages are tolerated, but are considered temporary and are expected to be corrected by somehow making up for lost time. The entire executive team is expected to be informed and willing to help the project leaders in any way possible. LEADER OF THE ENTOURAGE Mr. Market is trained in the liberal arts, with a masters' degree in business administration from an Ivy League college. …