Learning a cruiser command through private conversations

Karlsruhe's world cruise was a chance to broaden Lutjens before flag rank. An officer entering an unfamiliar technical environment could learn by reading, consulting individuals, or gathering the wardroom into a shared discussion. Those approaches also revealed how the officer assessed expertise and passed knowledge to others. Lutjens preferred private conversations with selected officers he trusted. That could work with compatible subordinates, but it did little to spread experience across a navy that urgently needed collective learning. By the time he reached this cruiser command, his established habits made the adjustment harder.