Leaders need to test whether their plans are realistic and whether subordinates have been given tasks they can accomplish. Blaming the people carrying out a plan should follow an honest examination of the decisions that shaped it. The Barents Sea action makes those decisions clear because convoy protection was a familiar operation, even though this particular battle involved high stakes and heavy fire. The comparison concerns how commanders perform when they regard an operation as routine. The merchants got through, and the leadership of the escort and covering forces helped secure that result.
Chapter · 1:52:43-1:56:54
The battle's leadership lesson: set objectives people can achieve
A leader must test whether the assigned mission is feasible before blaming subordinates, especially in routine operations where institutional habits are exposed.