Ep.6.9 Building the Third Entity: Laying the Foundation for Strong Relationships

01/29/25 • 39 min

What is the Third Entity, and how can we get even more deliberate in working with it? It's a key idea in systems inspired coaching, since we work directly with the unique and dynamic "personality" that is created when two people come together in relationship. In this first episode of a two-part series, CRR Global faculty members Yuri Morikawa and Fuyuo Sato explore how they foster trust, alignment, and creativity by intentionally cultivating their Third Entity.

Through personal insights and professional experiences, Yuri and Fuyuo share foundational principles for building strong relationships and provide actionable strategies to enhance collaboration. Whether you’re a coach, facilitator, or leader, this episode will deepen your understanding of relational dynamics and set the stage for more effective and meaningful partnerships.
What You’ll Gain from This Episode:

Learn what the Third Entity is and why focusing on the relationship itself can transform your co-coaching and co-facilitation partnerships.
Discover how to set the foundation for strong relationships through clear agreements, role clarity, and shared values.
Gain insights on how to turn diverse styles and perspectives into strengths that drive creativity and alignment.
Explore practical tips for improving communication, including active listening, feedback exchange, and fostering curiosity.
Learn how to maintain and nurture the Third Entity over time with regular check-ins, reflections, and adaptive practices.

Fuyuo Sato is a senior faculty member at CRR Global and an experienced coach with a passion for transforming relationships in teams and organizations. He began his career as a teacher before taking an in-house position as a coach for his coworkers at the school he was working at in Tokyo. Since becoming an independent coach, he has worked on a variety of organizational development initiatives, mostly in the APAC region, with both large multinational corporations and local small businesses. He has supported his client teams in becoming more autonomous and self-sustainable. He now lives in the forested area of Nagano with his wife and two cats as part of his experiment to explore the right relationship between nature and human society.

Yuri Morikawa has been a professional coach since 2004, training and coaching over 1,000 leaders and coaches worldwide, including corporate executives, NGO leaders, and entrepreneurs. Previously, she worked as a management consultant specializing in organizational and leadership development for 13 years. Yuri is a global faculty member of CRR Global and the founder of CRR Japan, where she launched the ORSC program in 2009. Passionate about social impact, she collaborates with NGOs like the Kamonohashi Project and Asia Rural Institute, focusing on leadership development and social change in Asia and Africa.
For over 20 years, CRR Global has accompanied leaders, teams, and practitioners on their journey to build stronger relationships by focusing on the relationship itself, not only the individuals occupying it. This leads to a community of changemakers around the world. Supported by a global network of Faculty and Partners, we connect, inspire, and equip change agents to shift systems, one relationship at a time
We believe Relationship Matters, from humanity to nature, to the larger whole.

Learn what the Third Entity is and why focusing on the relationship itself can transform your co-coaching and co-facilitation partnerships.
Discover how to set the foundation for strong relationships through clear agreements, role clarity, and shared values.
Gain insights on how to turn diverse styles and perspectives into strengths that drive creativity and alignment.
Explore practical tips for improving communication, including active listening, feedback exchange, and fostering curiosity.
Learn how to maintain and nurture the Third Entity over time with regular check-ins, reflections, and adaptive practices.

Previous Episode

Ep.6.8 Emotional Intelligence Masterclass

In this Masterclass on Emotional Intelligence, we'll explore self-awareness—a critical skill for personal growth, effective leadership, and nurturing meaningful relationships. In this Masterclass, we’ve curated a series of insightful clips from some of our most powerful episodes, each offering unique perspectives and practical strategies for enhancing emotional intelligence. Whether you want to improve your relationships or enhance your professional interactions, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and strategies to help you develop and refine your emotional intelligence.

Guests featured in this Masterclass episode (all hyperlinked to their respective episodes) are as follows:

Masterclass Series: This is a specially curated collection of episodes from the podcast archives designed to provide both a taster of the Organizational & Relationship Systems Coaching (ORSC) approach and a valuable refresher on its breadth and potential. Each episode explores key concepts and themes of the ORSC approach, offering practical insights on enhancing relationships, managing change, and fostering collaboration in various contexts. Join us to learn how ORSC can help you build stronger, more resilient systems in both personal and professional spheres.
Other episodes in the Masterclass series include:

ORSC Essentials: A Primer on Organizational & Relationship Systems Coaching

For over 20 years, CRR Global has accompanied leaders, teams, and practitioners on their journey to build stronger relationships by focusing on the relationship itself, not only the individuals occupying it. This leads to a community of changemakers around the world. Supported by a global network of Faculty and Partners, we connect, inspire, and equip change agents to shift systems, one relationship at a time
We believe Relationship Matters, from humanity to nature, to the larger whole.

Next Episode

Ep.6.10 Learning from the Third Entity: Unlocking the Power of Shared Growth

In the second of this two-part mini-series on the Third Entity, CRR Global faculty members Yuri Morikawa and Fuyuo Sato dive deeper into the concept of the Third Entity, exploring how to lead with it and learn from it. This episode focuses on unlocking the power of shared growth, demonstrating how the Third Entity becomes a teacher and a guide in co-coaching and co-facilitating relationships. Yuri and Fuyuo share stories and strategies for navigating challenges, fostering collaboration, and embracing the unexpected lessons that emerge from the relationship itself. Through practical examples and thought-provoking insights, they illustrate how the Third Entity can help co-coaches and co-leaders grow together while creating richer, more dynamic relationships.

What You’ll Gain from This Episode:

How to “listen” to the Third Entity and respond to its needs.
Techniques for staying curious and open to learning within partnerships.
Ways to leverage challenges as opportunities for mutual growth.
Insights into the transformative power of shared leadership.
Practices to continuously evolve and strengthen your collaborative relationships.

Click here to listen to part one: Laying the Foundation for Strong Relationships.