Ernest King's reputation for anger and intimidation can obscure a leadership method built on hard work and expert teams. He did not claim to be the smartest person in the room. Instead, he employed capable specialists, let them argue their cases, and then made the decision himself. Senior command demanded more information than one person could master, so listening was a functional requirement. His willingness to rely on other people's expertise complicates the popular image of an admiral defined chiefly by his temper.
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Ernest King led by assembling expert teams
King's reputation for anger is set against a leadership method built on listening to specialists, testing arguments, and then deciding.