POWER OF TED* (*THE EMPOWERMENT DYNAMIC) - 10th Anniversary Edition

This book is deceptively simple. The manner of writing allows you to be easily drawn into the central premise. Surprisingly, what unfolds in its pages is a concept that takes years to really grasp and understand. I highly recommend not just reading it but also visiting the website and participating in a workshop, training or coaching. As an organizational consultant, this book is a centerpoint for my practice and my clients. Read it. Learn to live it. You won't be disappointed.

The Power of TED* (the empowerment dynamic) is a simple quick read with life changing, accessible concepts. The parable style makes is quick to read, but the depth of the concepts is unmistakable. TED* can be used every day, all day, in situations at work, in your head, in your home. As an occupational therapist, a coach and with students (and myself!) I use these concepts
daily and am always challenged/pleased at how reliable the approach is! Thank you for this book.

If you constantly feel like a victim, or come from any kind of dysfunctional family, the dynamics of communication is probably the drama triangle. My husband and I use these technique to improve our relationship since both of us come from this kind of family. Highly recommended in a fun little story form.

Although this book had a useful message -- getting out of the victim role and seeing one's responsibility in creating each event in one's life -- the poor writing and overall lack of complexity and content contributed to a very disappointing reading experience.

The dialogue format should have encouraged the reader's identification with the main character, but it was very hard to achieve a willing suspension of disbelief between the awkward writing and the obvious contrivance of the omniscient "TED" character.

I must confess that I only persevered halfway through the book before giving up as a matter of aesthetic principle. If you have even a moderately sophisticated understanding of relationship dynamics and intersubjectivity, you will find this book well below your level.

A must read for everyone. The book brings the reader through the journey from being stuck in the Drama Triangle (blame and excuses why things don't get done) to using the power of TED to live a more empowered and fulfilled life. This should be required reading for companies as the Drama Triangle is the cause of why many companies stop growing.

Like the story about the two wolves inside a person, one of love, the other hate, where the son asks his father which one will win and is told "the one you feed," this handy little 1-2 hour book modernizes the metaphor by telling you that there are two triangles within you, one based on you thinking that you are a victim, either an overt one or one masked under the defense mechanisms of being a bully ("persecutor") or a co-dependent caretaker ("rescuer") (ie: the Karpman Drama Triangle) leading to feelings of anxiousness/hypervigilence and reactive behaviour or one based on you thinking that you are a creator where you focus on your vision and see events as lessons leading to feelings of calm and aliveness, and asks you, "Which one will you choose?"

The three points on the healthier choice triangle (ie: The Empowerment Dynamic) or what might perhaps also be called The Happiness/Aliveness/Adult Triangle are: Creator (your vision focusses on what you want, not on problems or what you don't want), Challenger (when you or your friend treats you as a creator (not a victim) and asks you probing questions to help you clarify your vision., Coach (you/your friend supports you to stay on task as a good sports coach might during a game).

To help make the shift from a victim orientation/mindset to a creator one, consider: "Forgiveness is giving up the hope of ever having a better past." pg 127

A nicely presented lesson with very wide applications.

The Power of TED* (*The Empowerment Dynamic)

This short, poignant fable of an Everyman features David, a good-natured but confused fellow recovering from his recent divorce; Ted, a wise man (and master of The Empowerment Dynamic) who takes a seat next to him on the bench as he sits contemplating the mess he's in; and Sophia, a veteran practitioner of TED*, the model that brings all three together in a common story. We follow David as he learns, with Ted's and Sophia's help and humor, how to move from Victimhood to the role of a responsible Creator in his own life. It's a profound discovery, revealed in compelling layers that will keep readers turning pages as they recognize the signs of the DDT (the Dreaded Drama Triangle, TED*'s nemesis) having crept into their own lives.

Readers made squirmy by acronyms and diagrams will need to exercise a little patience here. You'll be presented with FISBe, the dynamics of the DDT and, of course, TED, The Empowerment Dynamic. But they're delivered in a user-friendly package that features playful illustrations by Obadinah (see [...] Instead of encountering the author's transformational models in dry charts and mind maps, readers walk with David, Ted, and Sophia along the beach as now and then Ted stops to draw in the sand with a stick or a seashell. We're treated to glimpses of David's journal as he takes notes on all the great new stuff he's learning.

It's no surprise that coaches, business leaders, teachers, public servants, and even prison officials have taken a shine to this book. Its message of hope resonates with disparate groups because everyone is susceptible to the go-nowhere outlook of victimhood.

The slightly tweaked 2nd edition, to be released this Fall, includes a new Preface by the author as well as a helpful synopsis of The Empowerment Dynamic that follows the sequence of the fable.

Business folks, counselors, clergy, those who work in healthcare -- readers of all shapes, sizes, and inclinations -- will find in The Power of TED* a helpful guide to taking hold of life's difficulties and turning them around.

The Power of TED* (*The Empowerment Dynamic)

This short, poignant fable of an Everyman features David, a good-natured but confused fellow recovering from his recent divorce; Ted, a wise man (and master of The Empowerment Dynamic) who takes a seat next to him on the bench as he sits contemplating the mess he's in; and Sophia, a veteran practitioner of TED*, the model that brings all three together in a common story. We follow David as he learns, with Ted's and Sophia's help and humor, how to move from Victimhood to the role of a responsible Creator in his own life. It's a profound discovery, revealed in compelling layers that will keep readers turning pages as they recognize the signs of the DDT (the Dreaded Drama Triangle, TED*'s nemesis) having crept into their own lives.

Readers made squirmy by acronyms and diagrams will need to exercise a little patience here. You'll be presented with FISBe, the dynamics of the DDT and, of course, TED, The Empowerment Dynamic. But they're delivered in a user-friendly package that features playful illustrations by Obadinah (see [...] Instead of encountering the author's transformational models in dry charts and mind maps, readers walk with David, Ted, and Sophia along the beach as now and then Ted stops to draw in the sand with a stick or a seashell. We're treated to glimpses of David's journal as he takes notes on all the great new stuff he's learning.

It's no surprise that coaches, business leaders, teachers, public servants, and even prison officials have taken a shine to this book. Its message of hope resonates with disparate groups because everyone is susceptible to the go-nowhere outlook of victimhood.

The slightly tweaked 2nd edition, to be released this Fall, includes a new Preface by the author as well as a helpful synopsis of The Empowerment Dynamic that follows the sequence of the fable.

Business folks, counselors, clergy, those who work in healthcare -- readers of all shapes, sizes, and inclinations -- will find in The Power of TED* a helpful guide to taking hold of life's difficulties and turning them around.

"The Power of TED" is about the transformation of "victims" into "creators." The "victim orientation," as David Emerald points out, is a fundamental aspect of unreflective human experience, and it has probably been with us since we came down from the trees. If you have ever wondered, when confronting life's challenges and disappointments, "Why is THIS happening to me?" then you are already familiar with the victim orientation. The book starts with a scenario that raises this very question. And as you read on you will understand how it is that the way most of us think about our problems assures that our victimhood will be repeated, over and over again.

What David Emerald gives us is a new way of thinking about our lives and our relationships that can truly liberate us from victimhood and open up the possibility that we might be creators of, rather than victims of, our relationships or circumstances. I can testify to the power of "The Power of TED." Within three days of reading this book I was able to apply its distinctions and its insights to my own personal and business relationships, with benevolent and tangible results.

Though it is written as a fable, it has the feel of genuine self-disclosure by the author and thus has a "reality effect" that amplifies the credibility of the learnings it seeks to convey. The fable doesn't distract from the message it is designed to deliver, as some out there do. This isn't just a cute story with a few good insights and catch-phrases; it contains a highly practical and actionable means to improve all of your relationships, and to take greater control over the circumstances of your life.

Maybe you have already overcome your own "victimhood" and don't need to read this book for your own personal benefit. Even so, if you're in the business of helping others to lead creative and empowered lives, you will find the book full of useful distinctions, examples, insights, and great aphorisms. Of course, if you do find yourself feeling at times like a victim, or if some of your relationships are giving you high blood pressure or ulcers, then you should probably get a copy of this book and read it as soon as you can.

The Karpman Drama Triangle seems to dominate many lives and our culture (watch the news). For anyone wanting to live out of that triangle, this book explains the "how to" and expands on the ideas of the KDT by including conditions and circumstances as Persecutors, and substitutes a Creator based orientation for a Victim orientation. Changing to a Creator based existence doesn't happen automatically because it requires conscious decision making. For someone willing to make the effort, it can produce change in your life. Understanding the KDT should convince anyone of the existence and power of the subconcious mind.

Empowerment -- is there a word that has been more over used and less informative in recent memory? (Oh well, probably. But you take my point.)

David Emerald's book redeems the word by presenting an elegant, intelligent alternative to the well known "Drama Triangle." Emerald does not minimize the challenges of shifting from the victim/persecutor/rescuer roles to the creator/challenger/coach roles of TED*; however, for those with the maturity to identify and wrestle with the obstacles along the way, TED* offers a way out.

I'll be giving this book to my clients for a long time to come.

Empowerment -- is there a word that has been more over used and less informative in recent memory? (Oh well, probably. But you take my point.)

David Emerald's book redeems the word by presenting an elegant, intelligent alternative to the well known "Drama Triangle." Emerald does not minimize the challenges of shifting from the victim/persecutor/rescuer roles to the creator/challenger/coach roles of TED*; however, for those with the maturity to identify and wrestle with the obstacles along the way, TED* offers a way out.

I'll be giving this book to my clients for a long time to come.

This book revealed "victim" vocabulary in many aspects of life. Who doesn't feel as if there isn't enough time? While my clients don't think of themselves as victims, we all occasionally forget who's creating our life. The awareness of the voice of "victim" is tremendously helpful! And the way TED explains the creator role helps anyone move back into the driver's seat. It comes easier every day! Everyone I know is getting TED this year. Thanks David!

David Emerald offers understanding, humor and a taste of the joy of life lived consciously and intentionally through The Power of TED - an insightful look at how to get out of our own way and be the best we can be in this world. Great read - great addition to the toolkit!

The Power Of Ted was recommended by a friend. Actually, recommended is an understatement, he was jazzed. As I read the book I found myself highlighting sections for easy referral.
Recognizing the DDT and how we interact enables us to change our perceptions and reactions. The Power of TED is liberating.

TED is an incredible, easy to read story that will shift the way you see the world. David Emerald has explained three possible lenses that we hold in our everyday patterns of life: the victim, persecutor, and rescuer. He challenges these old patterns, inviting new transformations that have changed people's lives. I highly recommend this book to all, even to the brightest thinkers!

The Power of TED* has provided a profound jump start for me, both professionally and personally. As a Divorce Coach, it's given me a simple model to use with my clients. Personally, it's helped me identify where I'm still a victim in my own life and didn't even realize it! Now that I'm aware of all this, I can start creating more of what I want in my life - inner peace. Thank you David!