I learned long ago that strategy retreats are the corporate equivalent of a well-lit comedy room. Everyone enters with optimism, speaks with measured confidence, and leaves with a perfectly framed set of commitments that die within weeks. I do not get uncomfortable because retreats are bad. I get uncomfortable because retreats are dishonest, not maliciously dishonest, but structurally dishonest. They reward posture over truth, comfort over clarity, and performance over leadership. The first time I realised this, I was facilitating a retreat for a large public-sector organisation. The room was beautiful. The banners were crisp. The participants were seniors. But…