its a balancing act that takes some finesse and if you are going to be a manager soon, you might look into how it is done
Im not sure if I could explain it but it usually involves listening to the request, rewording the request and repeating it back. And then explaining the situation as you see it (why you will say no) and then when they have understanding of the situation, you explain why you are saying no.
From my personal experience, this works out pretty well but there is always that one off that blows up in your face. When that happens just face it head on and as time goes on it usually gets better and requires less work when you have to say no
You get a lot more transparency with the other init systems. Systemd is a big system that does lots of things and it’s not always possible to see everything it’s doing, because it’s doing a lot.
Find one used and be willing to tear it down and put it back together. Print extra parts once you have the process down. Prusa has kits if you’re willing to pay for a premium. Both assembled and built it all from parts.
Good 3d printers will have good instructions for repairs. Putting it together from parts is what you should really consider doing. Because 3d printers have a lot of movement and that needs to be corrected at times. If you spend the initial time to assemble it, breaking it down to fix something isn’t something to stress about.
Either way it’s a rollercoaster of an experience. Once you feel like you’re comfortable doing the first prints, you will look deeper into the abyss…
May I suggest a reading of the Voltaire book Candide? Phrases like “Everything will be ok” or as the book often suggests “all is for the best” in the “best of all possible worlds” will take on a whole new meaning.
The book is funny most of the time but it has a very sharp cynical edge about life and positive thinking and how it doesn’t mean much in the face of most life changing events.