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

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:

1. Learn what the Third Entity is and why focusing on the relationship itself can transform your co-coaching and co-facilitation partnerships.
2. Discover how to set the foundation for strong relationships through clear agreements, role clarity, and shared values.
3. Gain insights on how to turn diverse styles and perspectives into strengths that drive creativity and alignment.
4. Explore practical tips for improving communication, including active listening, feedback exchange, and fostering curiosity.
5. 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.