The Power of TED* Workbook
Applying TED* (*The Empowerment Dynamic)® to Life
By
David Emerald
Copyright ©2021 by David Emerald
Revised and Updated
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any informa-
tion storage and retrieval systems, without written permission of the publisher or
author except where permitted by law.
Published by
Polaris Publishing, Bainbridge Leadership Center
321 High School Rd NE, Suite D3, PMB 295
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Publisher’s Note
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in
regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the
publisher is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other pro-
fessional services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a
capable professional should be sought.
The Power of TED* Workbook
Applying TED* (*The Empowerment Dynamic)® to Life
Table of Contents
Introduction from the Author 1
Section One:
How Your Orientation Drives Your Actions 3
Section Two:
The Dreaded Drama Triangle (DDT) 23
Section Three:
TED* (*The Empowerment Dynamic)® 39
Section Four:
Reframing the Situation: Making Shifts Happen 42
Section Five:
Harnessing Dynamic Tension 54
Section Six:
Additional Activities to Support a Shift from DDT to TED* 68
Introduction from the Author
“There has got to be an alternative!” That is what I said to myself after
learning about the Karpman Drama Triangle from my therapist. I had sought
counseling after the death of my father, learning that I was medically in-
fertile and unable to have the children I had always hoped for, and the
subsequent loss of my marriage. The Karpman Drama Triangle roles of Vic-
tim, Rescuer, and Persecutor so named the way I was feeling. But I asked
myself; “What is the alternative to these toxic drama-filled roles?”
After an initial epiphany in which I “got” that the opposite of Victim is Cre-
ator, I pondered that question of alternatives for several years. Eventually,
a new triangle emerged that includes the more resourceful roles of Creator,
Challenger, and Coach. After naming the new triangle The Empowerment
Dynamic I suddenly realized, “It’s got a name—TED*!” After naming the
new framework, my editor suggested I write a story, rather than a nonfiction
book, that explained TED*. Since its first publication in the fall of 2005, it
is clear that TED* is contributing to the quality of people’s lives around the
world, a fact for which I am most grateful and honored.
This workbook is meant to be a companion to The Power of TED* book and
will serve as your guide to applying the principles, mindset, and practices of
TED* in your own life. It is designed for individual use and will encourage
the Baby Steps by which you put TED* into daily practice. This workbook
can serve as a wonderful reinforcement of the principles contained in the
book, enlivening your learning experience.
The exercises throughout this workbook are a purposeful progression de-
signed to guide you through sequential steps. With each activity, take a
The Power of TED* Workbook - ©2021 David Emerald - All Rights Reserved.
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moment to record your thoughts so that you are able to refer back to each
step as the need arises. These reflection notes are for you. Use your most
comfortable form, be it journaling, bullet notes, or in-depth details.
After reading The Power of TED* and completing this workbook, we are
confident you will:
• Learn to focus more on what you want rather than what you don’t want;
• Have an increased awareness of your own drama roles when you get
“triggered” and ways to shift those patterns;
• Increase your capacity to be “at choice” in most circumstances;
• Learn to incorporate the roles of Creator, Challenger, and Coach in your
everyday life;
• Build healthier and more conscious relationships with others; and
• Feel empowered, rather than diminished, when facing whatever chal-
lenges life brings.
Alone, TED* is no more than a good tool, something that could make a
difference if you choose to use it. TED* comes to life and empowers when
you put it into practice in your life and relationships—and most especially
when you share the journey with others. It is people like you who make TED*
vibrant. So let those Baby Steps begin...
To the Creator in you!
David Emerald
The Power of TED* Workbook - ©2021 David Emerald - All Rights Reserved.
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Section One:
How Your Orientation Drives Your Actions
“An Orientation is a point of reference, a mental stand-point that determines
your direction…” said Ted, “you know how a compass gives you a point of
reference by indicating which way is north? Using that knowledge you can
set a course, decide which way you want to go. An Orientation works like a
compass—one that’s inside you. Your inner Orientation, your mental stand-
point, has a lot to do with the direction you take in life. So your Orientation
determines a lot of what you experience.”
- The Power of TED*, chapter 4
Putting TED* to work in your life begins with FISBE—which stands for
Focus, Inner State, and Behavior. The FISBE Mental Model is used in The
Power of TED* to describe how we operate. FISBE begins with a Focus,
which engages an Inner State, which then results in some type of Behav-
ior. (Illustration 1-A) In many ways this brief formula sums up the human
experience.
lllustration 1-A FISBE Mental Model
The Power of TED* Workbook - ©2021 David Emerald - All Rights Reserved.
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We humans constantly focus on something as we go about our day. Depend-
ing on the object of our focus, some level of emotion arises in our body. It is
the inner emotional state that drives our behavior, concentrating our focus
once more and starting the cycle over again.
In the book, The Power of TED*, the main character, David, looks out at the
ocean and he feels an inner state of serenity. That feeling helps him relax
and feel calm. Another person may have a different perspective or relation-
ship with the ocean. Someone else may look at the ocean and remember
a time when he almost drowned from a serious boating accident, therefore
his inner state while looking out at the ocean may be fearful because he is
focusing on the accident. In this case this person’s behavior is to stay away
from the ocean. With this simple illustration, we can see how the FISBE
formula describes the interrelationship between our thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors.
Your FISBE is your internal “operating system.” Think of your computer.
The operating system is the software (be it Mac, Windows, Linux, etc.) that
drives everything that happens as you use other programs. Similarly, your
FISBE drives how you see and interact with the world around you.
The Power of TED* Workbook - ©2021 David Emerald - All Rights Reserved.
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