As his tea steeped at the company coffee bar, a CIO spoke with curiosity about the Drama Triangle. He was just learning about it but sensed it could be helpful in realizing his vision of a more empowered organization.

A collaborator and former client of mine joined the conversation. She explained that I had introduced her to the Drama Triangle a decade earlier.

He wanted to know more.

Karpman’s Dreaded Drama Triangle

Stephen B. Karpman, MD, introduced the Dreaded Drama Triangle (DDT) in the late 60’s.

A clinical psychiatrist, Karpman outlined three key roles of Victim, Perpetrator, and Rescuer in dysfunctional power dynamics. He wrote dozens of papers on the application of it in all aspects of life and work. (https://karpmandramatriangle.com/)

The Power of TED*

Nearly 40 years later, David Emerald published The Power of TED*: *The Empowerment Dynamic. It’s a fable with many lessons on transcending the dysfunction of the DDT.

Emerald introduced the roles of Creator, Challenger, and Coach as the antidote to the dysfunctional roles.

The CIO was preparing for an offsite with 47 leaders in his organization, so I shared a link to both the book and the author’s website.

I also shared the story of my chance encounter with TED*.

How I Met TED*

I was attending the Conscious Capitalism Conference in Chicago in 2015. During an exercise, I turned around to greet the man behind me.

While my first impression was his Birkenstocks and socks, I quickly realized it was David Emerald. He was speaking about The Power of TED* at the conference.

I was excited and proud to share with him how we had used his work with a client.

The DDT & Leadership Transformation

When I was working as VP Culture of Innovation in 2012, our team designed and led a workshop with dozens of technology and customer service leaders of a big insurance company.

The emphasis was encouraging the leaders to see how everyone can play the three roles of the DDT…Victim, Perpetrator, and Rescuer.  Then helping them learn how to transcend dysfunction with the empowered dynamics of the Creator, Challenger, and Coach roles.

The Student Was Ready for TED*

During my first meeting with the CIO, he shared how he had introduced the Drama Triangle to his team.

He admitted to them, with examples, how he had shown up at different times in each of the three roles of Victim, Perpetrator, and Rescuer.

It was an honor to acknowledge and celebrate the courage, vulnerability, and humility he had demonstrated to his team of leaders. He had embraced the wisdom of TED* and applied the first step immediately.

How Is The Drama Triangle Impacting Your Leadership And Team Dynamics?

As you reflect on your leadership and your team dynamics, where do you see the roles of the DDT show up?

How might empowering your leaders and teams enhance creativity and innovation in your organization?