Three Ways A President Can Organize His (or Her) Personal Staff:

1. The Pyramid Structure- involves most assistants reporting through a hierarchy to a chief of staff who deals directly with the president. This allows for an orderly flow of information and decisions but risks isolating or misinforming the president. Used by Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr. and Clinton.

2. The Circular Structure- Cabinet secretaries and assistants report directly to the president. Has the virtue of giving the president a great deal of information but at the price of confusion and conflict among the cabinet secretaries and assistants. Used by Carter.

3. The Ad Hoc Structure- Task forces, committees, and informal groups of friends and advisers deal directly with the president. Allows great flexibility,

minimizes bureaucratic inertia and generates ideas and information from disparate channels but it risks cutting the president from the government officials who are ultimately responsible for translating presidential decisions into policy proposals and administrative action. Used for a while by Clinton.