When does an admiral's ego become an operational problem?

At what point does an admiral's ego become a dangerous influence on command?

It becomes a problem when the commander makes a decision because of ego rather than evidence, which is different from ego merely influencing an otherwise evidence-based choice.

Confidence or a strong personality is not automatically disqualifying. Admirals such as King, Beatty, and Halsey could all make choices influenced by pride while still responding to operational evidence. The critical threshold is causal: ego becomes dangerous when it replaces the evidence rather than simply forming part of the commander's temperament. That distinction gives viewers a practical way to assess contentious historical decisions without reducing them to personality labels. It also allows criticism of King's reaction while taking his professional constraints seriously.