PASS Strategic Planning
Strategic Clarity for Businesses Navigating Uncertaintly
PASS (Principled Adaptive Strategic System) replaces reactive firefighting with disciplined execution—giving success-phase businesses the strategic operating system they need to navigate BANI chaos and build RISE capacity.
You've Outgrown Founder Intuition
What you're experiencing:
Leadership team isn't aligned on direction
Strategy gets lost in daily firefighting
Board asks questions you can't answer well
Everything depends on 1-2 key people
Good quarters and bad quarters—but you can't figure out why
What hasn't worked:
Annual plans obsolete by Q3
Strategic retreats producing binders no one opens
Frameworks that don't quite fit your reality
Goals without execution discipline
BANI: The World We're Living In
BANI is a framework developed by futurist Jamais Cascio to describe our current operating environment, replacing the outdated VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) model.
Brittle – Systems that appear solid suddenly shatter without warning (supply chains, markets, institutions)
Anxious – Persistent uncertainty creates constant anxiety and reactive decision-making
Non-linear – Small causes create huge effects (and vice versa); outcomes are disproportionate to inputs
Incomprehensible – Situations are so complex that full understanding is impossible; information overload without insight
Why It Matters:
Traditional strategic planning assumes stability and predictability—plan for 3-5 years and execute. BANI reality makes this approach obsolete. You can't predict what will break, when anxiety will spike, which small event will cascade into crisis, or fully comprehend the systems you're operating within.
The BANI Challenge for Businesses:
Organizations can't eliminate BANI conditions—but they can build capabilities to thrive within them. This requires shifting from "predict and control" to "prepare and adapt.
The real challenge: In a BANI world (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, Incomprehensible), you can't plan 3-5 years ahead. But you also can't "wing it" at scale.
You need a strategic operating system designed for chaos.
THE SOLUTION: PASS
From BANI Chaos to RISE Capacity
PASS systematically builds four organizational capabilities:
Resilient → Absorb shocks without shattering
Intentional → Make conscious choices, not reactive decisions
Synergistic → Create collective intelligence
Evolving → Treat change as opportunity
The Strategic Creativity Funnel™
PASS integrates proven planning methodology from Ultimate Breakthrough Planning with 6-month adaptive cycles:
1. Higher Purpose Vision (Timeless) Sacred Commitments • Core Focus • Ultimate Contribution
2. Strategies (6 Months) Strategic focus using the Strategic Insight Generator What must we accomplish in the next 6 months?
3. Tactics & Tools (90 Days) Quarterly Anchors cascaded through organization Specific, measurable, owned commitments
4. Actions & Timelines (Weekly/Daily) Weekly Alignment Sessions (60 min) Daily Huddles (15 min)
5. Key Milestones (Monthly) Progress tracking on Strategic Dashboard Course corrections as needed
6. Celebrate Success (Quarterly) Recognize wins, learn from misses Reset for next quarter
Why PASS Works When Other Systems Don't
✓ 6-month cycles (not 3-year fiction)
✓ Execution-focused (not just planning documents)
✓ Built for BANI (designed for chaos, not stability)
✓ Board-ready (governance-quality materials)
✓ Builds capability (not consultant dependency)
HOW IT WORKS
2-Day Strategic Planning Intensive
Leave with your complete system built:
Higher Purpose Vision & Annual Goals established
6-Month Strategy Map using Strategic Insight Generator
Quarterly Anchors cascaded (company → function → individual)
Sacred Cadences designed
Strategic Dashboard configured
Team trained in Clarity Process (Identify-Discern-Solve)
Monthly Strategy Coaching (6-12 months)
90-minute virtual sessions
Anchor progress accountability
Strategic obstacle resolution
Cultural development (Competing Values Framework)
Course corrections and pivots
6-Month Strategic Reset
Review first cycle (wins, misses, learnings)
Environmental scan (BANI changes)
Launch second 6-Month Strategy Map
Set next Quarterly Anchors
Optional Enhancements
Board Alignment Package: Pre-intensive board interviews, board-friendly documents, presentation facilitation
Quarterly Reset Facilitation: Consultant-led planning sessions throughout the year
Leadership Development: Integrate Monk Principles & Benedict's Ladder for deeper transformation
You're experiencing (check 3+):
☐ "Successful but feel like we're making it up as we go"
☐ Leadership team isn't aligned on direction
☐ Everything depends on 1-2 key people
☐ Can't scale past current ceiling
☐ Board keeps asking strategic questions we can't answer
☐ Reactive firefighting vs. strategic execution
☐ Culture feels chaotic as we grow
You're ready for:
✓ Strategic discipline without bureaucracy
✓ Adaptive planning, not rigid forecasts
✓ Execution rhythms that actually work
✓ Cultural intentionality as you scale
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: How is PASS different from EOS/Scaling Up?
A: PASS uses 6-month strategic cycles (not annual) designed for BANI reality. It integrates the proven Business Creativity Funnel from Ultimate Breakthrough Planning with adaptive short-cycle planning. Built specifically for success-phase businesses navigating complexity.
Q: What's the Business Creativity Funnel?
A: A proven planning methodology from Mike Ferrell's book Ultimate Breakthrough Planning that moves from vision → strategies → tactics → actions → milestones → celebration. PASS integrates this framework with 6-month adaptive cycles for maximum effectiveness in chaotic times.
Q: Does leadership development come with PASS?
A: No, PASS is pure strategic planning. Leadership development (Monk Principles & Benedict's Ladder) is available separately and can be bundled for organizations wanting deeper personal transformation alongside strategic planning.
Q: How much time does PASS require from our team?
A: 2 days for the initial intensive, 90 minutes monthly for coaching calls, 60 minutes weekly for Alignment Sessions, and 15 minutes daily for huddles. The system replaces unproductive meeting time, so most organizations find they're more efficient overall.
Q: What if we're geographically distributed?
A: The 2-day intensive works best in-person (we travel to you or meet offsite), but monthly coaching and resets can be virtual. We've successfully implemented PASS with distributed leadership teams.
Q: Do we need to have a board to benefit from PASS?
A: No. PASS works whether you have a fiduciary board, advisory board, or no board at all. We create board-ready materials because they represent best-practice strategic documentation—valuable regardless of governance structure.
Q: What if we have a board that needs to understand PASS?
A: Our Board Alignment Package includes pre-intensive board member interviews, board-friendly strategic documents, and facilitation of a board presentation to ensure alignment and buy-in.
Q: What if we're not ready yet?
A: We'll tell you honestly in the discernment call. Sometimes businesses need to stabilize first, resolve leadership conflicts, or address other foundational issues before PASS will work effectively. We'd rather say "not yet" than take on an engagement that won't succeed.
Q: How do we know if PASS will work for our industry?
A: Mike has worked in over 75 different industries. The framework adapts to your industry with customized examples and language at no additional cost.
Q: What happens after the initial 6 or 12 months?
A: You run PASS independently—that's the goal. We offer ongoing support options (quarterly check-ins, annual planning facilitation) but you own the system and capability. PASS is designed to build your internal strategic capacity, not create dependency.
Strategy vs. Tactics
Strategic thinking and tactical thinking are both essential for business success, but they serve different purposes. Strategic thinking focuses on the big picture—defining long-term goals, clarifying purpose, and mapping out a vision for the future. It's about seeing possibilities, anticipating challenges, and creating a sustainable path forward. Tactical thinking, on the other hand, is about execution—managing day-to-day operations, solving immediate problems, and implementing specific actions that align with the broader strategy. The Monk Principles bridge the gap between these two mindsets by grounding strategic thinking in timeless wisdom while providing a framework for disciplined, purpose-driven action. With principles like Clarity of Purpose, Structured Reflection, and Adaptive Thinking, leaders can create strategies that are both visionary and practical, ensuring that daily tactics serve a larger mission and foster long-term growth.
The Strategic Insight Generator
The Strategic Insight Generator is a powerful diagnostic tool designed to help small businesses identify key challenges and uncover actionable strategies for growth and success. By analyzing critical aspects of your business—including operations, leadership, market positioning, financial health, and team dynamics—the tool provides clear, tailored recommendations to overcome obstacles and seize new opportunities.
WHAT YOU GET
Strategic Documents:
Principled Alignment Map
Annual Compass
6-Month Strategy Maps
Quarterly Anchor Cascades
Strategic Dashboard
Execution Systems:
Sacred Cadences (Weekly/Quarterly/Semi-Annual)
Clarity Process (Identify-Discern-Solve)
Competing Values Framework
Strategic Insight Generator
Most Importantly:
Internal capability (you run this, not consultants)
Strategic confidence
Execution discipline
Board credibility
Adaptive capacity
GET STARTED
The Process
Step 1: Discernment Call (30-45 min, free)
We'll discuss your business, strategic challenges, and determine if PASS is the right fit. This is an honest qualification conversation—no sales pitch. We'll explore where you are, where you want to go, and whether PASS can help you get there.
Step 2: Customized Proposal
If PASS is a good fit, we'll create a customized proposal tailored to your organization's size, complexity, and needs—including timeline, deliverables, investment, and success metrics.
Step 3: Program Launch
Once you're ready to move forward, we'll schedule your 2-day intensive, send pre-work materials, and begin building your strategic operating system.
Schedule Your Discernment Call
Most clients start here. We'll determine together if PASS is right for your business.
The book that started it all…