Reinterpreting the Executive Coaching Case Through the 3S–FORM Lens

Reinterpreting the Executive Coaching Case Through the 3S–FORM Lens

 

Sukjae Lee, Ph.D.
Creator of the Effectiveness Coaching Methodology
February 14, 2026

 

This executive coaching case can be more deeply understood when viewed through the structural architecture of 3S–FORM within the Effectiveness Coaching Methodology (ECM) developed by Dr. Lee Suk-Jae.

At the surface level, the issue appeared to be interpersonal conflict and rigid communication.
At the structural level, the issue was misalignment between self-certainty, emotional impact, and relational perception.

3S–FORM clarifies how this misalignment was systematically addressed.

 

1. The Change Demand Through a 3S Lens

The initial change demand was identified through the Effective Leadership Assessment (ELA) and stakeholder interviews.

Surface diagnosis:

• Strong technical leadership
• High drive and decisiveness
• Perceived rigidity and emotional insensitivity

Structural diagnosis:

• Overdeveloped execution identity
• Underdeveloped relational modulation
• Limited perceptual flexibility under conflict

From a 3S perspective, the executive’s Self-Awareness bandwidth was narrow in high-stakes situations. His certainty, while performance-enhancing in technical contexts, became relationally disruptive in conflict.

Thus, the change demand was not “be less confident.”
It was:

Expand awareness of how internal certainty impacts external relationships.

 

2. Deriving the Critical Behavior: The 3S Activation Point

The selected critical behavior—
“When perspectives conflict, temporarily set aside my certainty and take the other’s position.”

—represents a 3S activation intervention.

Self-Awareness

Recognize the moment of internal rigidity.

Self-Talk

Interrupt the internal script:
“I’m right.” → “What might the other person be seeing?”

Self-Reflection

Reintegrate the new perspective before responding.

This is not a simple communication technique.
It is a real-time restructuring of cognitive-emotional sequencing.

 

3. FORM as Structural Intervention

Once the critical behavior was defined, FORM provided the execution pathway.

 

Feedback

360-degree diagnostics revealed the perception gap.
Feedback illuminated the impact of certainty-driven communication.

The narrowing of the self–other gap later became quantitative evidence of awareness integration.

 

Opportunity

Recurring conflicts were reframed as developmental leverage points.

Instead of asking,
“Why are they resisting me?”

The coaching reframed the opportunity as:
“How can this tension expand my leadership bandwidth?”

 

Restructure

The executive practiced lowering certainty by 20%.

This was not symbolic humility.
It was mental model remodeling:

From:

Leadership = Correctness + Speed

To:

Leadership = Influence + Relational Containment

The Empty Chair Technique further deepened restructuring by simulating emotional reciprocity.

 

Move Forward

Behavioral execution included:

• Conducting 1:1 conversations
• Engaging previously avoided middle managers
• Practicing empathy in real time

Crucially, implementation was tracked session by session.

Execution without tracking becomes intention.
Execution with tracking becomes transformation.

 

4. Quantitative Evidence Through 3S–FORM

The reduction in:

• Self-confidence score (over-certainty modulation)
• Emotional management gap
• Conflict management gap

demonstrates:

• Expanded Self-Awareness
• Narrative recalibration
• Behavioral alignment

In ECM terms, the equation was successfully activated:

Change Demand → Critical Behavior → Desired Result

But structurally, it unfolded as:

Awareness → Restructure → Execution → Measurable Effectiveness

 

5. The Identity Shift Beneath Behavior

At a deeper level, the executive transitioned from:

Producer Identity
“I create results.”

to

Facilitator Identity
“I enable others to create results.”

This identity shift reflects 3S integration at the level of “way of being,” not merely “way of doing.”

Without 3S, the executive might have learned softer language.
With 3S, he reconstructed his leadership self-concept.

 

6. What This Case Demonstrates About 3S–FORM

This case illustrates five structural principles:

1. Diagnostics initiate awareness expansion.
2. Critical behavior anchors intervention.
3. Restructure precedes sustainable execution.
4. Perception gap reduction signals integration.
5. Identity transformation stabilizes behavioral change.

3S–FORM is not a communication model.
It is a cognitive–behavioral–identity remodeling system.

 

7. Implications for Coaches and Leaders

For coaches:
Critical behavior must be specific enough to execute, yet deep enough to restructure mental models.

For leaders:
High performance traits often become liabilities under relational stress unless moderated by awareness expansion.

For organizations:
360 feedback without structured restructuring mechanisms rarely produces sustained behavioral change.

 

8. Final Structural Summary

Stage	Psychological Process	3S Activation	FORM Structure	Outcome
Diagnosis	Perception Gap	Awareness Trigger	Feedback	Clarity
Conflict	Rigidity	Self-Talk Interruption	Opportunity	Leverage
Intervention	Perspective Practice	Reflection	Restructure	Realignment
Implementation	Behavioral Trial	Integrated 3S	Move Forward	Measured Change

 

This case demonstrates that perspective-taking is not merely empathy training.

When embedded within 3S–FORM, it becomes:

• A consciousness expansion practice
• A mental model restructuring intervention
• A leadership identity recalibration
• A measurable effectiveness enhancer

In short, 3S–FORM converts interpersonal friction into structural growth.