"The quality of a teacher isn't their ability to perform what they teach, but impart the knowledge they have about the subject." As a daimyo, he knew that quite well. Many exceptionally talented experts might sell their knowledge for the right price, in any field. It was important to be able to separate the ones who could teach their knowledge from the ones who ad no idea how.

Anyway, she simply earned another small, kind smile. "Does Konoha allow your Hokage to travel long distances or engage in dangerous missions on his own?" His ability (or lack of) to fight and defend himself may have been a part of hiring 'escorts' or 'aid' on missions such as this one, but he held no illusions about his counselors allowing him out on his own on any mission they considered 'dangerous' regardless of his skill level.

He would always push them to allow it, of course, but he understood their reasons for fearing for his safety too well to believe they would ever capitulate. As Yamato had said when they first departed. A daimyo (particularly one without any sort of heir) traveling on his own was almost always likely invite trouble. If it didn't, his counselors would still insist that it might, and 'might' was enough to demand escorts.