Deborah Lee James - 30 Apr

Advance Praise for Aim High

Aim High is a testament to high ideals and hard work. Debbie James lived these principles during her time as Secretary of the Air Force. This book reminds us that its not just about getting the job done, but also about HOW you do the job. I recommend Aim High for leaders at all levels!

Chuck Hagel , 24th Secretary of Defense, Former US Senator

Lead several hundred thousand people, manage a budget over $100 billion, and secure the nuclear enterprise. Thats what Secretary James did as the second woman ever to run the US Air Force, and this book feels like having a personal conversation with her. She takes you behind the scenes with rich case studies to share valuable leadership lessons for your career and your life.

Adam Grant , Professor, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, LinkedIn Top Voices 2017, New York Times bestselling author of
Originals, Give and Take , and Option B

Debbies insights are words to live by, and she has lived them herself over her remarkable life and career. Debbie is that rare leader who remains humble and grounded, despite her many successes, and she brings all her life lessons together in these memorable stories. Aim High is a must read for all who aspire to leadership positions.

Adam Bryant , Bestselling Author: The Corner Office: Indispensable and Unexpected Lessons from CEOs on How to Lead and Succeed , New York Times and Newsweek Senior Editor and Columnist, CNBC Contributor,
Managing Director, MERRYCK & Co.

I have watched Debbie James navigate, extraordinarily, leadership challenges through twenty-five years as a professional colleague. Aim High reveals an incredible journey through the worlds of politics and executive positions in government and business. A remarkable tutorial for all seeking a role model of courage and success.

G eneral (Ret) John Jumper , 17th Chief of Staff, United States Air Force

Who would have thought that a leadership book could be a page-turner or that it could make you laugh and cry? Thats exactly what Debbie James has achieved in Aim High . Part memoir, part how-to book, Secretary James has woven her professional and personal experience into advice and observations about careers and leadership to great effect. Aim High should be at the top of the reading list for any leadership class, or for those who want to know what authentic leadership looks like!

Jared Cohon , 8th President, Carnegie Mellon University,
Professor, Carnegie Mellon College of Engineering

Debbies passion to make a difference, combined with her personal achievements in the public and private sectors, provide the context for relevant and practical leadership skills that all of us can use to aim high with a sense of purpose and navigate a course to success. Her message to all leaders is effectiveset a direction, inspire others and deliver results. Debbies approach to overcoming challenges and creating opportunities is one that all of us can relate to in our lives and careers.

Tony Moraco , Chief Executive Officer, SAIC, Inc.

I had the honor and pleasure of working with Debbie James when she served as Secretary of the Air Force. I saw the success of her three step leadership model as we tackled many extremely challenging issues. In Aim High , Debbie shares the elements of her approach in a comfortable, story-telling style. An excellent read for leaders just starting out or mid-career as they pave their personal and professional paths.

Ellen M. Pawlikowski , General, USAF (Retired)

A must read for anyone leading a major organization as well as interested in personal growth. Through practical insights and case studies, Debbie James gives us a playbook for thriving in turbulent change. By writing with raw honesty and warmth, she gives us the courage to aim high!

Sanyin Siang , LinkedIn Top Voices 2017, Forbes Contributor, Executive Director, Coach K Leadership and Ethics Center, Duke University

This is a great book! We can all learn from the Secretarys approach to life, problem solving and execution. Personally, I consider Debbie to be one of my mentors. Much of how I approach problem solving was framed by her. I am thankful for her service, intellect, friendship and leadership.

John Rogers , Chief Executive Officer, EO, RL Leaders,
Former CEO, MV Transportation

A POST HILL PRESS BOOK

Aim High:

Chart Your Course and Find Success

2019 by Deborah Lee James

All Rights Reserved

ISBN: 978-1-64293-034-4

ISBN (eBook): 978-1-64293-035-1

Interior design and composition by Greg Johnson, Textbook Perfect

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author and publisher.

Post Hill Press

New York Nashville

posthillpress.com

Published in the United States of America

Contents

I magine what its like to lead a branch of the US military to make life-and-death decisions that affect millions of people around the world. Imagine youre a civilian responsible for hundreds of thousands of people in uniform. Imagine youre a woman in charge of a fighting force that is overwhelmingly male.

Deborah Lee James knows very well what its like. And she wants everyone to benefit from her wisdom and experience.

As Secretary of the US Air Force, her success was Americas success. She dealt with urgent national security issues, from the safety of our nuclear weapons to the readiness of our National Guard to the quality of our air defense. She was entrusted with immense power and responsibility, and she served with both honor and skill.

I met Secretary Jamesor Debbie, as she insists on being calledthanks to Lean In. My nonprofit runs Lean In Circles, small groups of peers who gather regularly to support one another and learn together. For women in the military, Circles can be a much-needed source of encouragement and understanding. I will never forget the officer who told me that she wasnt scared at all to jump out of an airplane into enemy territory, but she was terrified to bring up gender issues with her commanding officer. Circles empower women to have those conversationsand therefore make change more likely.

As one of the top women in the US Armed Forces, Debbie was determined to make the military a better place for women and everyone. One day in 2015, she joined me for a Circle meeting at the Pentagon. I was struck by how attentively she listened to what every person in that room had to say, no matter what their rank or branch of service. A few weeks later, Debbie launched a Circle of her own. Then she launched another one. For the rest of her time as Secretary, Debbie met with her two Circlesone for officers, one for enlisted personnelevery month. It sent a powerful signal to the entire US military that this leader sought their input, was attuned to their needs, and was invested in their success.

Today, Debbie is back to being a private citizen. Shes now on the advisory board of Lean In . And Lean In s military chapter has more than two thousand members and counting, based everywhere from Minnesota to South Korea.