Field-Focused Coaching Psychology in Dialogue with the 3S–FORM System and the Effectiveness Coaching Methodology

Field-Focused Coaching Psychology in Dialogue with the 3S–FORM System and the Effectiveness Coaching Methodology

 

Sukjae Lee, Ph.D.
Creator of the Effectiveness Coaching Methodology
February 13, 2026

 

Over the past two decades, I have sought to articulate a coaching logic that is not derivative of psychotherapy or consulting, but inherently grounded in the unique structure and purpose of coaching. That journey has culminated in what I now call the Effectiveness Coaching Methodology (ECM), developed by Dr. Lee Suk‑Jae.

The present volume introduces what I describe as Field-Focused Coaching Psychology—an attempt to reinterpret major psychological theories from the standpoint of coaching practice rather than from the standpoint of therapy. While the original book systematized three domains and ten coaching principles, this integrated preface positions those elements within the broader architecture of ECM and the 3S–FORM system.

 

From Coaching Psychology to Coaching Architecture

The three domains identified in this work—

1. Systemic Perspective Shifting
2. Self-Directed Learning and Growth
3. Outcome-Oriented Behavioral Change

—form the psychological backbone of coaching practice.

However, psychological insight alone does not yet constitute a coaching system. Coaching requires a structural engine—a repeatable, operational logic that links inner transformation with outer results.

This is where the 3S–FORM System emerges.

 

The 3S–FORM System as the Operational Core

Within the Effectiveness Coaching Methodology, coaching is understood as the interaction of two interlocking engines:

 

1. The Inner Growth Engine (3S)

• Self-Awareness – Expanding perceptual and systemic consciousness
• Self-Talk – Restructuring internal cognitive-emotional narratives
• Self-Reflection – Deep integrative processing that stabilizes change

These three processes activate internal reorganization. They correspond closely to:

• Systemic Perspective Shifting → Deepened awareness
• Self-Directed Learning → Reflective integration
• Behavioral Change → Internal restructuring of intention and identity

In other words, the psychological principles identified in this book become dynamically activated through the 3S process.

 

2. The External Structuring Engine (FORM)

In ECM, coaching intervention is organized through:

• Feedback – Systemic and behavioral data illumination
• Opportunity – Identification of growth leverage points
• Restructure – Mental model remodeling (beyond mere reframing)
• Move Forward – Committed, execution-oriented action

The shift from Reframe to Restructure marks a critical theoretical refinement. Coaching does not merely invite clients to see differently; it facilitates structural remodeling of the mental models that generate behavior.

The ten coaching principles presented in this book provide the philosophical and psychological substrate. FORM provides the structural methodology that translates them into execution.

 

Effectiveness as the Integrative Outcome

The central question of ECM is not simply:
Did insight occur?

But rather:
Did effective results emerge?

Effectiveness is defined as the sustained alignment between:

• Way of Being
• Decision Patterns
• Behavioral Execution
• Desired Outcomes

The three domains described in this book now align within ECM as follows:

Field-Focused Coaching Psychology	3S Activation	FORM Structuring	ECM Outcome
Systemic Perspective Shifting	Self-Awareness	Feedback	Expanded perception
Self-Directed Learning & Growth	Self-Reflection	Opportunity	Developmental leverage
Outcome-Oriented Behavioral Change	Self-Talk + Reflection	Restructure → Move Forward	Sustainable execution

 

Thus, what began as a categorization of psychological frameworks evolves into a coherent coaching architecture.

 

Why This Integration Matters

Historically, coaching has struggled with three challenges:

1. Over-reliance on psychotherapy theory
2. Conceptual ambiguity regarding its unique logic
3. Lack of structural clarity linking insight to measurable results

Field-Focused Coaching Psychology addressed the first two by identifying coaching-specific principles embedded within psychological traditions.

The Effectiveness Coaching Methodology addresses the third by providing:

• A repeatable system
• A diagnostic structure
• A transformation pathway
• A results-based evaluation logic

Coaching becomes not merely developmental conversation, but structured transformation.

 

Coaching as Mental Model Restructuring

At the deepest level, this integration clarifies that coaching is a disciplined process of:

• Expanding systemic awareness
• Remodeling internal mental models
• Aligning intention with execution
• Producing effective results in real contexts

Coaching is neither therapy nor consulting.
It is a structured developmental architecture that activates inner growth and external performance simultaneously.

 

An Invitation to Practitioners and Leaders

For professional coaches, this integration offers a pathway to articulate and refine your own coaching logic.

For counselors and psychologists, it demonstrates how psychological theory can be reinterpreted through a coaching lens without collapsing into therapy.

For organizational leaders and HR professionals, it offers a structured method for unlocking potential while ensuring execution.

The journey that began with analyzing twelve theories in coaching psychology has matured into a comprehensive system:

From Psychological Insight → to Structural Intervention → to Measurable Effectiveness

That is the trajectory of the Effectiveness Coaching Methodology.

And this book represents one of its foundational milestones.

 

Reference:

Lee, Sukjae (2023). Coaching Psychology Class for Boosting Execution. Seoul: Hakjisa.