Beatty's aggression versus senior command

Beatty's dash and willingness to close with the enemy suited a fighting commander. Senior command also required him to step back from the engagement, think strategically, and build a staff that compensated for his weaknesses. One practical alternative was to retain the politically connected Ralph Seymour and add the more experienced James Somerville for fleet communications. They could have divided Admiralty liaison from operational reporting. Beatty would first have had to recognize that his command team needed reinforcement.