Jellico’s reputation for being an ass goes beyond the hull of the Enterprise, hence Mariner’s comment about being assigned a “Jellico-type” captain. But every time I watch “Chain of Command,” sometimes it’s hard to tell of Geordi, Riker and Troi aren’t being a bunch of unprofessional softies.
Is Jellico too strict? Is Riker too casual? Is there room for both styles in Starfleet?
Now that I watch it older and with leadership in mind:
Both.
Jellico needed to make it clear what his priorities were and why. He needed to acknowledge the sudden change in everything (mission, preparedness, strictness, etc) and hardship on the crew. He didn’t have much choice but he had to go about it differently. Without clarity his changes just seem harsh. He should have had a preparatory statement for the crew when he took command and a closer rapport with Riker to get it done.
Riker and all needed to respect the Captain’s direction. Also if Jellico couldn’t convey it, they should have picked up on it from the mission and their training as officers. Especially Riker, who is supposed to be ready to be captain in case Jellico dies and who should have given the other officers any support missing from Jellico.