The management theme continues as Solomon, like the late media guru Marshall McCluhan, stresses the vital need for identifying priorities and core purposes. There may a lot of busy activity and fun, but is it making money – and do you understand what you are really about?

A feast is for laughter, having a good time, and likewise the use of wine is to make merry. What is it, however, that makes the money, the important answer to everything, the bottom line? In other words, what is the raison d’etre of the enterprise? Can you actually define the purpose of your business with precision? Can you frame a meaningful mission statement that actually encapsulates what you are about in practical terms that can be translated into simple, measurable, attainable, relevant objectives?

What are the key factors of success in your business? Can you distinguish between matters that are urgent and those that are actually much more important but easily neglected? Such decisions clearly have important implications for the effective budgeting of both time and money.

Perhaps the theme also continues again, with Solomon warning that productivity and results are what matter at the end of the day – not idle socializing indulged in at the expense of the effective management, planning and executive action.

The effective manager carefully analyzes the profitability of the various products or services the business offers – with the result that some might be losing money and need to be updated, redesigned or even discontinued. Making money is the bottom line.