Non-Fiction: Average to All-Star by Sharlee Lyons

According to author and leadership development expert Sharlee Lyons, as trends like the Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting sap companies’ resident talent and productivity, a leadership crisis looms on the horizon. Lyons believes the key to prevent it lies in empowering more mentors and coaches to help young people find their true potential and achieve fulfilling lives and careers, something she undertakes to share in her new book, Average to All-Star.

“Right now, thousands — even millions — of young potential leaders are living lives in which their true authenticity and potential never shines through,” Lyons says. “As they look for something better, they’re losing motivation and ‘quietly quitting,’ or leaving their companies outright.” Meanwhile, companies, scrambling to fill leadership roles, may feel forced to select unprepared employees. Unfortunately, unprepared leaders face a greater chance of failure — and failing too early depletes confidence and motivation. “If we don’t do something soon, we’re facing a significant leadership crisis in the near future,” Lyons warns.

The solution? A framework to create and empower “extraordinary” coaches and mentors. “Mentors don’t have to be experts, or even in an upper-leadership position,” Lyons says. “Anyone can change someone’s life — they just need awareness, intentionality, and the right tools.”

Lyons offers a simple, three-step process to help mentors and coaches at all levels of experience build a stronger framework for success. Lyons feels that through discovery, “Extraordinary coaches and mentors make it a goal to identify and encourage potential leaders anywhere — at work, at gatherings, and even at the grocery store. Small encounters can make a huge difference.”

Next is development. “Excellent coaching/mentoring relationships incorporate proven tools to identify young leaders’ values, strengths, weaknesses, and goals and help guide and motivate them as they build their capabilities.”

Also important is deployment. “Exceptional coaches and mentors launch their young leaders’ careers through strategic opportunities to lead with maximum impact, gain vital experience, and build adaptability and confidence quickly but naturally. They will start strong and go further, faster.”

Lyons is fast to underline this. “Extraordinary leaders need extraordinary mentors. If more people become all-star mentors and coaches to help develop our young leaders, we can transform the future.”

Lyons is a former Division 1 athlete who brought her love of coaching to develop authentic emerging leaders and leadership teams in the corporate, non-profit, and higher education sectors. ◊

You can buy the book here.

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