A senior officer's metaphor compares task-group command to juggling unlike objects while an anvil threatens to crush the admiral's foot. Good high command does not prevent every blow; it keeps the other objects in the air after one lands. In combat, crews look to captains for stability, and captains in turn look to the admiral. The admiral's composure therefore affects morale through every level of the force, including when a loss results from chance or an enemy success rather than a preventable error.
Notable Point · 1:05:37-1:09:14
The admiral provides stability through cascading command
When crises strike a task group, captains need the admiral to remain a steady reference so they can provide the same certainty to their crews.