The Junior Manager Rant #1 — Nothing To Do About It

I don't like that statement, in general. I know there are time one should better stand aside and let something pass, but most of the times it is not the case when you're in charge of stuff and I get angry when I hear those words from seniors.

But that's a part of a senior's definition, isn't it? A person who's tired of the current state of the world. While I, being green and...well...green enough, I want to act in order to change the state of things when they do not suit me.

Or, at least react, duh!

A couple of days back I shared that I've heard those rumors about fuel shortages out there in the real world, which is to say...other countries, and also about the fears of fuel prices going up about 30-40%, and not very far off in the future at that.

And I got kind of neglected last year when I said stuff was expected to get tougher and tougher for a couple of decades, perhaps.

A crop from a larger image I took of a line of cars this summer. A season of vacations and some YOLO time for people who complain about their lives during the rest of the year. We live for our summer vacations around here. Nothing else matters, actually.

Back to the topic — this time I just heard "Nothing to do about it."

Really?

We got about three dozen vehicles and almost that many drivers to take care of the jobs of and we should not think of ways to prepare for a crisis that we expect? We have deliveries brought to our doors almost daily, as well. I really expect prices of raw materials and other goods that every business would use in their production process to go up...again...and soon. Because fuel fuels the whole thing, doesn't it?

I wonder how much a few simple words like "Tell the others you should all try and keep your tanks full!" uttered to the right people in contact with other people would cost.

That wouldn't save a fortune, but the sooner you pay for an appreciating commodity, the better, no? Each time you might save pennies per litre. Multiply that by a couple dozen vehicles...

That might still be little enough but what's scary is the possibility of not finding any gas in your gas station one day. Another one might still be full but for how long? You get my point. Better not have to wait in line for a few drops of what you might have stocked a little better on.

It's kind of the same with the products we need delivered.

And this was the easiest of things. I believe in the one percent better at a time strategy and this is what I have been doing so far.

But when a tidal wave is about to hit ain't no nobody have time for this...rhyme.

The hard part would be to convince the rest of the crew that we need a plan for the worst case scenarios...or at least for those extremely bad case scenarios because this is what it could come to. I fear we shall have too restructure our system, anyway. Better do it ahead of time instead of after taking heavy losses. I know the laws of logic will do my job for me, if I can't. But it might be a little too late.

Damn, I love being a Harbinger of Doom! Because, like it or not, someone has to do the effing job else other people lose theirs. I wonder why wouldn't those other people appreciate it...

Peace!

Manol