Customer Reviews

The Power of TED* (*The Empowerment Dynamic) - Updated and Revised

5 star:		(20)
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I read The Power of TED at least 20 times over the past several years. It is one of the 5 books I keep on my desk at all times - that is saying a lot because I read a lot of books! I use the principles with my clients, and I use them in my life on a daily basis. One of my clients made a great statement. She said, "I knew about the drama triangle, but I never knew what to do to counteract it - now I do after reading this book." If I could give 100 stars for this book, I would.

I have read The Power of TED* several times and each time I come away with a deeper layer of understanding about the Power of Choice in our lives. If you've ever felt that life was like a roller coaster with one problem coming on top of the next - each one causing a crisis that had to be handled, then you know how exhausting life in the Drama Triangle can be. I tend to play the role of Rescuer, solving others problems (often to the detriment of my own energy supply).

TED* describes in a very easy to digest format how to recognize the patterns you are in (whether you default to Victim, Persecutor or Rescuer - and yes, I've played all three) and then illustrates the steps needed to shift into a healthier way of being. Victims learn how to become Creators of life - by making informed choices and taking an active role in shaping their lives. Persecutors learn how to dial down the drama and the rhetoric and make sure that they are coming from a place of integrity rather than finger pointing and blaming. We all need someone to jump start our engines at times, but Challengers do this in healthy ways, unlike the drama ridden and power hungry ways of the Persecutor. Finally, Coaches learn how to empower Victims & Persecutors to recognize their patterns and to make healthy choices. Rescuers solve problems for others, it makes them feel good, important, useful. However, it's not healthy to solve someone's problem - that leaves them powerless and reinforces their Victim mentality. By helping them find ways to solve their own problems, a Coach (the counterpart to Rescuer) empowers the powerless to take responsibility for their own happiness.

This book may be an easy read, but it holds some powerful frameworks and concepts that are imperative for the informed Creator. Baby Steps, Dynamic Tension, and learning how to "make the shift" are tools we should all have in our toolboxes of life.

If you've ever been in the Drama Triangle and wanted to find the way out....READ THIS BOOK - then gift it to your friends and family. You'll be glad you did.

Isn't it so often the case that powerful and compelling ideas are somehow the simplist? The Power of Ted is the power of Tao. It identifies an empowerment dialectic that rings true and resonates with common sense and practicality. I not only find immediate usage with my individual clients, but find it valuably applicable to larger scale consulting engagements as well. I believe we will be hearing a lot more from Ted in the time ahead as it increasingly becomes a normative part of our language.
Thank you for this masterpiece David!

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.

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.

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 ([...]). 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.

This book gave me the tools to understand where I was showing up in different situations and the wisdom to change the way I was reacting. TED is one of those books that instantly changes you. It's well written, easy to read, yet incredibly powerful. This book is in my top 3 for 2008. Highly recommended!

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!

David Emerald's "Power of TED*" is a life-changing kinda book. His simple, quick-to-read, powerful story helps us understand how we're showing up in the world--as a Creator or Victim? Coach or Rescuer? Challenger or Persecutor? Knowing the characteristics of The Dreaded Drama Triangle (DDT) and it's creative alternative, The Empowerment Dynamic (TED*) is remarkably transformative. It's impossible for me to overstate my enthusiasm for the book (after reading it the first time I immediately ordered copies for my employees and friends and family) and I hope you take the time to explore Emerald's ideas and transform your life as well!

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.