TED*® (The Empowerment Dynamic) and 3VQ® (The 3 Vital Questions) are frameworks designed to shift individuals and teams away from reactive, unproductive patterns (often known as drama) to more empowered, resilient, and proactive approaches.
By integrating these principles into your workplace, they help mitigate various psychosocial risks, enhancing psychological safety and overall wellbeing. Here’s how:
1. Shift from Reactive to Proactive Behaviours
- Reactive (Dreaded Drama Triangle) Roles: In stressful situations, individuals may default to roles such as Victim, Persecutor, or Rescuer, which create unproductive dynamics. These roles increase conflict, confusion, and emotional distress, leading to higher psychosocial risks such as stress, burnout, and disengagement.
- Empowered (TED*) Roles: TED*® offers antidotes to these roles with the Creator, Challenger, and Coach roles. These roles empower individuals to consciously take ownership of their actions and responses, promoting collaboration and healthy communication. When individuals feel more in control, they are less likely to experience stress, burnout, or emotional distress.
2. Enhancing Leadership and Team Engagement
- TED*® encourages leaders to embrace the Coach role, fostering an environment where open communication, support, and guidance are paramount. This improves team cohesion, engagement, and morale.
- By using 3VQ® principles (eg. “What do we want to co-create?”), leaders and teams become more aligned with their purpose and objectives, reducing confusion, misalignment, and poor decision-making—common contributors to workplace stress.
3. Clarity of Roles and Expectations
- 3VQ® helps employees clearly define their role, focus, and actions (answering the questions “Where am I putting my focus? How am I relating to others? and What actions will I take?”). This clarity significantly reduces the risk of role ambiguity—a common psychosocial hazard that leads to stress and confusion.
- Leaders and teams that use TED*® and 3VQ* principles are better equipped to set clear expectations, align on objectives, and make decisions with confidence, thus minimising misunderstandings and conflicts.
4. Psychological Safety
- By embracing TED*® principles, workplaces become safer environments where individuals feel valued and heard. The Creator, Challenger, and Coach roles encourage respectful communication and the active engagement of all team members, which increases psychological safety and reduces the likelihood of bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
- Regular engagement in 3VQ® (especially the question “How are we relating? How are we relating to others, our experience and ourselves? Are we producing or perpetuating drama or empowering others and ourselves to be more resourceful, resilient and innovative?”) encourages empathy, respect, and the healthy resolution of conflicts, reducing risks associated with poor workplace relationships.
5. Stress Reduction and Wellbeing
- TED*® and 3VQ® provide tools that help individuals manage their emotional and mental states, particularly in high-pressure or conflict-ridden environments. For example, when conflict arises, individuals equipped with TED*® roles are more likely to approach the situation responsively, with curiosity and collaboration rather than react with defensiveness or aggression, reducing the emotional toll on everyone involved.
- 3VQ® also encourages individuals to take responsibility for their actions and reactions, helping them cope more effectively with job demands, stress, and difficult interactions. This leads to greater resilience, a key factor in reducing the risk of mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and burnout.
6. Preventing Burnout and Disengagement
- In workplaces where 3VQ® is applied, employees are empowered to identify what’s important to them and take intentional actions toward personal and professional growth. This sense of agency and purpose is crucial for combating quiet quitting and loud quitting, both of which contribute to increased stress and low morale.
- The State of the Global Workforce Report by Gallup shares that only 23% of the workforce is thriving (engaged), while 62% are quietly quitting (not engaged – but staying), and 15% are actively disengaged (loud quitting – but staying)!
- TED*® roles, such as the Challenger, encourage individuals to face challenges and setbacks with curiosity and problem-solving, rather than resorting to avoidance or frustration, which can cause disengagement and ultimately contribute to increased costs of drama, including burnout.
7. Fostering a Culture of Collaboration and Inclusiveness
- TED*® and 3VQ® promote collaboration and inclusiveness, both of which are key components of a thriving workplace. By encouraging employees to share ideas, give feedback, and value different perspectives, the risk of conflict, miscommunication, and alienation is significantly reduced.
- 3VQ’s focus on relationships, purpose, and action encourages employees to contribute to a shared vision and feel a sense of belonging, which strengthens their connection to the team and reduces the likelihood of feelings of isolation, bullying, or harassment.
In Summary:
By integrating TED*® roles and 3VQ® principles into your workplace, you reduce risks associated with psychosocial hazards such as stress, burnout, bullying, role confusion, and disengagement. These frameworks help create psychologically safe, empowered work environments where employees feel supported, understood, and motivated to contribute their best work. This not only improves employee well-being but also enhances overall performance and organisational success.
Are You Ready To Make A Shift In How Your Team Operates?
Begin with small steps: purchase copies of the best-selling book, The Power of TED*® by author, David Emerald, co-founder of The Center for the Empowerment Dynamic. I say copies because this is about co-creating change. Offer a copy or audiobook to every member of your leadership team or your entire staff! Next, engage in a 5-Step Action Planning Consult with me, encourage open dialogue, and embrace the empowering roles of Creator, Coach, and Challenger in your daily work. Lead the way for your team by becoming a role model for change.
To dive deeper into these concepts and start integrating TED*® and 3VQ® into your organisation, reach out to me for personalised coaching, workshops, and resources that will help you create the thriving culture your team deserves.
Ready to get started? Contact me today, and let’s discuss how we can build a better, more empowered organisation together!
Next: Part 5: How Did The Code Of Practice Come About?
The Code of Practice for Psychosocial Hazard Risk Management in Australia came about as a response to increasing recognition of the significant impact psychosocial risks can have on workers’ mental health and overall wellbeing. The code aims to provide practical guidance for managing psychosocial hazards in the workplace, ensuring that employers and employees are aware of the risks and can take appropriate measures to prevent harm.