<aside> 💡 Answering these eight questions form the basis for a great Business Flight Plan — the document that drives alignment and clarity across your organization.

</aside>

1. Why Do We Exist? (Business Purpose)

• Starting with 'Why' grounds the retreat in a sense of purpose, aligning the team around the fundamental reason the organization exists.
• Purpose: This question drills down to the very heart of the organization's reason for being, beyond making a profit. It's about identifying the broader impact the company aims to have on society, communities, or the environment. A clear business purpose is motivational and can guide decision-making at every level.

2. Who Do We Serve? (Customers)

• Moving to understand the customer early on ensures that the purpose and subsequent mission and vision are externally focused and market-driven.
• Customer Focus: Identifying the target customer, understanding their pain points, and how they currently address these needs ensures that the company’s offerings remain customer-centric. This insight guides product development, marketing, and sales strategies.

3. What Do We Do? (Mission)

• With a clear purpose and customer understanding, defining the mission becomes more focused, detailing what the organization does to fulfill its purpose for its customers.
• Mission: Simplifies and clarifies the organization's core activities and offerings. It ensures that everyone inside and outside the organization understands what the company does and stands for, creating a unified direction.

4. Where Is This Headed? (Vision)

• The vision builds on the foundation of purpose, customer understanding, and mission, projecting a future state the organization aspires to achieve.
• Vision and Goals: This forward-looking question defines the aspirational future of the company. Setting a vision, along with long-term goals like a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal), provides direction and inspires stakeholders to strive towards a common future.

5. What’s Going On Out There? (External View)

• Before diving into the current internal situation and strategy development, assessing the external environment (market conditions, competition, trends) ensures the strategy is responsive to and informed by external realities.
• Market and Competition: Analyzing market conditions, competition, and trends is crucial for positioning the company effectively. It helps in identifying opportunities for innovation and differentiation.

6. Where Are We Today? (Current Situation)

• Understanding the internal current state after considering external factors allows for a SWOT analysis that is informed by both internal capabilities and external opportunities and threats.
• Assessment: Understanding the current internal and external situation of the company through KPIs, SWOT analysis, and pain mapping provides a realistic starting point for strategic planning. It helps in identifying both strengths to leverage and challenges to address.

7. How Do We Behave? (Core Values and Team Norms)