I once halted a strategy retreat 12 minutes in. The CEO had flown all his regional heads to a lakeside resort, loaded PowerPoint decks, and had consultants ready. But when I asked him, “What’s the problem you’re solving?” he looked at me, blinked, and said, “We want a strategy.” That’s like a man erecting a structure before knowing whether he needs shelter, a shop, or a shrine. Here’s the real order of business, something many consultants won’t tell you: a) Start with your mission. Not the nonsense you slap on your website, but your true reason for existing. Why should…