Why Harwood struggled after success at sea

Which naval commanders were promoted beyond the role for which they were best prepared?

Harwood is a strong example of a capable sea commander placed in a Mediterranean joint-political environment for which he had little preparation.

Harwood was not incompetent: as a commodore at the River Plate he performed very well. The problem came when Churchill's interest helped move him toward a Mediterranean command shaped by Army, Air Force, Admiralty, and local politics. Home Fleet commanders could rely on the Admiralty to fight many political battles, whereas a distant joint commander had to manage them directly. Harwood's difficulty therefore arose from a mismatch between training and the political skill set demanded by the appointment.